9 Things that MUST be in Your Fireproof Safe
9 Things That MUST Be In Your Fireproof Safe
Fire season has always been present in the Western part of the US. Just halfway through the 2020 wildfire season, California, Oregon, and Washington had been affected by a strong blaze that decimated millions of acres, destroyed entire communities, and caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.
Disasters such as wildfires are unpredictable and hard to control. More so, they are happening frequently now. This is why it’s essential to prepare for the said disaster, especially if you’re living in a wildfire-prone area.
Now, how do you prepare for a wildfire? One effective way is getting a fireproof safe. But before doing that, you may take note of these 9 important things that should be kept in your safe:
1. Insurance Policies
To prepare for this, keeping insurance policies and agent contact information can make you settle on house matters easily. While trying to get back on your feet again, your insurance company can be of great help. It is a great idea for your insurance policy and agent information to be protected in a fireproof safe.
2. Passports and Original Birth Certificates
Passports and original birth certificates can help you and your family prove your legal identity.
They are used when finding a job, enrolling in a school, acquiring social services, and more.
3. Doctors and Medications Taken
If someone in your family has a serious health condition and needs medications right away, your kept records will help you get their medications immediately. This includes the doctors you see, the medications you take, and the contact information for all pharmacies you buy from.
This is to prevent their condition from worsening and make sure they are in their best state.
4. External Hard Drive with Family Photos
Memories and photos that you hold dear are vital to keep.
That’s why saving all of them inside an external hard drive is a good idea. In this digital age, it is very easy to keep them all in one place and look back at them from time to time.
5. Safety deposit box keys
Making sure your keys are secured will help you access your valuables kept in the bank with ease.
Ensuring that your keys are stored in a safe place can help you in times of emergency.
6. Investment, Retirement Plan, Bank Account Documents
It’s important that you keep these documents because they can show proof of residency, tax returns, and legal contracts. Keeping them in one place will also help you locate them quickly.
7. Original Social Security cards
These cards are relatively hard to replace once you’ve lost or damaged them.
So, as to not give you more hassle when there’s a disaster, make sure that you keep them in a safe place.
This will provide great help for you and your family especially when you’ve lost everything from the fire. Why? Because the cards are used to ask for aid from the government and to enjoy your benefits.
8. Important Legal Documents
If you have a power of attorney, prioritize keeping legal documents so that whenever you get displaced by a fire, they can act on your behalf to handle financial and business transactions or other certain matters.
And your health care proxies will also help anyone in your family who is incapable of making a decision to ensure that they are getting the medical help they need with the help of another member’s decision. Generally, both documents will help protect the whole family.
9. Copy of Family Wills
Just like disasters, life itself is unpredictable.
That’s why keeping wills is an important thing. Keeping a copy of the family wills safe from any disaster ensures that those who are left behind in the family are taken care of. They don’t have to worry about what to do with the properties owned by the deceased member.
