September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month

BE INFORMED. BE PREPARED. BE INVOLVED.

Insurance and Vital Records=Obtain property, health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Review existing policies for the amount and extent of coverage to ensure that what you have in place is what is required for you and your family for all possible hazards.

Flood Insurance=If you live in a flood-prone area, consider purchasing flood insurance to reduce your risk of flood loss. Buying flood insurance to cover the value of a building and its contents will not only provide greater peace of mind, but will speed the recovery if a flood occurs. You can call 1 (888) FLOOD29 to learn more about flood insurance.

Inventory Home Possessions=Make a record of your personal property, for insurance purposes. Take photos or a video of the interior and exterior of your home. Include personal belongings in your inventory.

To help you record your possessions, you may also want to download the free Household and Personal Property Inventory Book <http://www.fema.gov/cgi-shl/goodbye.pl?url=http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/abstracts/ahouseinv.html> (from the University of Illinois). Important Documents=Store important documents such as insurance policies, deeds, property records, and other important papers in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box away from your home. Make copies of important documents for your disaster supplies kit <http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/supplykit.shtm>.

Money=Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler's checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly access them in case of evacuation.