LESSON ONE: READY KITS IN YOUR VEHICLES
If you had three minutes to evacuate you home, what will you take? ____________________________________________________________________________________
Well, the first thing is to get the survival kits prepared before hand, then worry about ITEMS THAT ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. I’d grab the family picture albums, and family tree and put copies of priceless pictures and a copy of the family tree in your safe. ‘All-in-one’ computer printers are inexpensive and you can duplicate pictures and important documents that are not digital. You can double flash drive all your JPEG and other files and place in a safe deposit box and your home safe. You can place extra copies in your Ready Kits. If you don’t have a vehicle, have some of your Backpack Kits with some supplies and have other kits prepared at other locations.
WATER BRIEF: One gallon of potable water per person per day for a minimum of three days. Try to have one or two weeks supply, also have water purification tablets and have over five gallons of non-potable water per person per day for flushing and washing. Label water supply (jugs) as potable (drinkable) or non-potable.
A part of Survivability is always having your vehicles ready. Check your vehicle before each trip, service according to the owners manual, change the oil, filters, and lube every three months or 3,000 miles, fill the gas tank before storms, always have more than half of a tank and check fluids and tires weekly. If you have a motorcycle or bicycle have a tire repair kit and simple tools. See the Vehicle Inspection Checklist on page 110 and the FDN recommended parts list on page 111.
This vehicle or backpack ready kit is for being either stranded on the road or if you have to evacuate your home quickly, then you could basically survive out of this ready kit for three to seven days. I would try for seven days. You know your needs and room. Maybe you can’t return to your home because of a fire at your home or a neighbor’s home or there is a gas leak nearby.
IF YOU SEE PRE-PACKAGED SURVIVAL/TRAVEL KITS, GO BUY THEM IF IT MEETS YOUR NEEDS. Then check it with the list below and then add the missing items. Think about having ready kits in a secondary location that would not be in a flood or fire prone zone.
SET UP YOUR KITS FOR YOUR REGIONAL TEMPERATURES AND SEASONS!
Check off the items below with a blue ink pen if you have the items in your kits. Use a backpack, duffel or a box. Even if you live downtown have kits prepared for a quick evacuation and have water purification tablets and small water filters. Have your electronic chargers, battery packs, generators, etc. for your various electronics.
a. Weather related items: Sleeping bags or blankets___, wet gear to store and wear___, sealed wooden matches___, first aid kit___, candles___, empty coffee cans with lids___, can opener___, facial tissues___, paper towels___, toilet paper___, under and outer clothing–three sets for each person___, high-calorie non-perishable food___, compass and road maps___, hunters knife___, shovel___ and simple tools___. If in cold region wear a few layers of clothing. Know places where you can seek shelter for any season. Place these items in various places in the vehicle. Remember to plan for more than $200 in EMERGENCY CASH. ATMs may not work if phone lines are out. [From Fire Chief P.-CVFD–Phoenix Five]. Prepare to barter with extra goods.
Make sure to buy a CB or FRS/GMRS radio–see Chapter Six. Cell phones are good only as long as towers are running and only 1-in-3 cell towers have a generator or sustained battery backup system for 48 hours with sufficient height to reach all areas. Plus law enforcement and first responders have priority on cell nodes to dispatch emergency units as required. Don’t forget a can opener, quart size Baggies®, plastic ware, silverware, other kitchen items, other personal items and a camera to photograph damages.
Once Family Disaster Network is fully enhanced, we plan to have points of contact for emergencies and evacuation help for members. But we need more members now, and members to help find more members and set up our Initial Contact Persons for your Area. See Chapters 5 and 6. Also need Trainers, Sales and Staff in each Group or Area.
b. FIRST AID KIT–Our best recommendation is a standard 8x7x1 inch first aid kit sold by Johnson and Johnson™ or any other pre-packaged kits available in a store for about $10; along with extra band-aids, pressure dressings, nursing tape, antiseptic ointments and no-water-soaps (Purel®, Germ-X® or others). Also pack some pain reliever, Immodium® for diarrhea, Cortizone®, sun screen and mosquito repellent are also handy to have. It is also good to have Q-tips®, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol, plenty of little wash cloths or towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, deodorant, feminine hygiene, baby care and special need items. See Chapter Two for First Aid and Health.
c. If you are on prescription medications or supplements, then carry a pill case with a seven day supply. If you are not on prescriptions, then you should consider a pill case with a seven day supply of high stress vitamins, pain reliever and supplements as needed. Rotate these pills at least every two weeks with your household bottles to ensure them from going stale. Medications of any type only have a year or two of shelf life, so check your medicines expiration dates frequently. Dispose of old medications by crushing and using coffee grounds, sawdust or kitty litter in the pill bottle, marking out the label and duct taping it shut. Then you may throw it away in your regular trash. DO NOT FLUSH!! Our fishes are getting high or sick from disposed medicines.
Also keep a list of your Doctors, contact information, your Pharmacist–only try to have one or two pharmacists and make sure that they communicate with all prescriptions and OTC-Over the Counter (shelf) medications, supplements with dosages and times taken with allergies or having sensitivities to items. It is vital information that you might not be able to verbalize at some point. Make copies and give to area hospitals, ez-care centers and various doctors offices. Also have copies for a couple of your family members. See Lesson Two–Part B for Living Wills, Trusts and funeral instructions.
d. Comfort and speciality items if needed. Extra female items, baby food, diapers, wipes, baby jumpers, pet food or other items as need for personal comfort; extra eyeglasses and extra hearing aid batteries, small bottle of bleach for water purifying and sanitizing. Have liquid hand sanitizer with alcohol for extensive/germ killing. You will need plastic tarps for roofing shelters, such as 5mm poly plastic for sealing roofs and buildings, 55 gallon trash bags, masks, hard boots and gloves. Some of these items can be in the garage kit.
e. Clothing: You will need three changes of underwear per person, seasonal clothing, extra jeans or pants or BDUs (Military Cammies have extra reinforced stitching), with plenty of socks (keep those feet and hands dry and warm), gloves and an extra pair of hard boots with seasonal or wet weather gear.
f. A sealed copy of your Important Documents Checklist and Assets Inventory. Have copies or a flash drive of your photographs or a CD, family tree and pictures of inventory. Make extra copies of pictures with your ‘all-in-one’ printer. You can buy an ‘all-in-one’ printer for about $70 to $100 at most major stores. Look for ones with cheaper ink prices.
g. Other Items: Do your pets, your elderly relatives or friends and others who need constant care have pre-disaster plans? See Lesson Eight.
NOW YOU’RE ASKING, WHERE IS ALL OF THIS GOING TO FIT? IT WILL, one decent sized soft bag and a box properly backed in your trunk to keep things in place. If you don’t have a vehicle have three to five ready kits in various places out to 50 miles to enhance your survivability. You can also have extra backpacks or C-bags or gym bags in different secure places.
Experiment how to compact your various items. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO HAVE ALL THESE ITEMS IN YOUR VEHICLE. Think about off-site storage that is not in a wild fire or flood zone and you could share with other members, just use a lock box inside. Also mark and seal your items and date the seals. Call or e-mail us with any questions. That is WHY WE ARE PERSONALIZED!!
These steps are to make you think Survivability! There will be various classes in your District or Metro or on youTube to help you make your decisions properly.
LESSON 66: INVENTORY RECORD OF ASSETS SEE PAGE 117
PLEASE MAKE COPIES OF THE BLANK SHEETS ON Pages 118-120 PRIOR TO FILLING IT
Don’t forget to list clothing, furniture, electronic, jewelry, collectibles and other precious items. Prove ownership on as many things as possible by keeping sales receipts, photographing and by making duplicate copies of the Assets Inventory Sheet! Put it in a safe deposit box, safe or sealed envelope with trusted family. If a fire, burglary or other disaster occurs then you can give your insurance agent and the police have a verifiable amount for casualty loss. The police will need serial numbers to return recovered items. If you have a video camera, make a tape and make copies, this is also a way to list items. Buy an ‘all-in-one’ printer to make copies and scan documents. Fill out the Assets Inventory List on Page 117 and then take the quiz below.
Once Family Disaster Network is fully enhanced, we plan to have points of contact for emergencies and evacuation help for members. But we need more members now, and members to recruit more members and set up our Initial Contact Persons for your area. Also need Trainers, Sales and Staff in each group or area. Question: If you had three minutes to grab anything important in your home or office, what would they be?
__________________________________________________ ______
If you had five, ten, or 30 minutes, what would you grab? ______________________________________________________
If you had two days, then what would you do? Where would you go, meet, take? ______________________________________________________
LESSON TWO-SAFEGUARDING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
I DO NOT CLAIM TO KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT I PROVIDE
COMMON SENSE, AND AVENUES TO APPROACH–CONTACT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE!!
It is best to have a safe deposit box to put all your Original Important Documents and to keep the copies at your home. Second best would be to have important documents in a fire proof box at your home and have extra copies made to place in the ready bags. If nothing else have copies made and have in the ready bags, or extra copies with a trusted family member in a sealed envelope. MAKE COPIES OF THIS SURVIVABILITY CHECKLIST AND MAKE SURE TO PUT A COPY IN EACH READY KIT, BAG OR BOX.
A. INSURANCE: Home, renters, life, auto, health, etc. Have the policies been thoroughly reviewed in the last year with your current agent? I DO NOT SELL INSURANCE, I SELL ADVICE AND COMMON SENSE. Home insurance-ask your agent to see if there is enough coverage for FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE for fire, crime, storms, liability, injuries, etc. Look at your policy carefully for exclusions, the biggest exclusion is FLOOD insurance. Sometimes if hail breaks a basement window and floods your basement, it may not be covered. ASK THEM! ASK US! GET SECOND OPINIONS IF YOU HAVE TO!! Check for earthquake riders also, there have been new earthquakes in VA, OK, TX and other areas.
RENTERS/TRAILER/CONDO INSURANCE-An inexpensive policy to cover your personal items and their repurchase for clothes, furniture, electronics, etc. Plus it covers simple liability, ask your agent. Most policies cost $100 of so a year for $10,000 or more. Call around. Get it-Don't be left with just your ready bags. Also have COVERAGE for your OFFSITE storage. Get separate Jewelry, electronic and firearms policies, and any claims are against those individual policies not your home or renters policies. See your agent.
LIFE INSURANCE—Most agents say coverage for five or more years annual salary ($100,000+). FDN suggests to at least cover burial costs and one year salary ($25,000)! It's your life, but have a policy and do LIST THREE OR MORE BENEFICIARIES--PREFERABLY ADULTS OR A TRUST. That way someone will get the proceeds if there are other casualties. Make your wills, trusts and insurance to reflect your wishes. Beneficiaries are an extremely personal subject and we are certainly not here how to run your affairs- the points we after are simply for consideration, in case you hadn't thought of them until now.
CAR AND HEALTH INSURANCE is bountiful out there, but compare policies carefully-ask, ask, ask-some policies do not cover everything. Your record to list your insurance policies is on page 118. Fill out form and make copies of that page.
B. WILLS. TRUSTS AND DEATH: It is not a pretty subject, and I've lost my fair share of family and friends. But for reality sake, and to increase your survivability in a disaster by having your important documents covered. This is why we cover these subjects.
If you do not have a will, I highly suggest that you get one (anyone above age 15 or has any assets to bequeath should have one made). Do not let the state probate your estate without notice). You may change a will as much as you like. If nothing else write a will yourself bequeathing any important assets or the whole estate to a person or more than one. Have it witnessed by non-interested party or notary. So list three or more persons in some sort of hierarchy. Leave it to someone that you love, care or trust. Go ahead and contact lawyers. Some can do simple wills inexpensive, due to the fact that particular bequests are made on a memorandum that you can change at anytime and it doesn't affect the will. So you can have a simple will with seven designates and let the memo do the rest. NOW LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR, DO NOT HAVE ONLY ONE COPY OF THE WILL. MAKE MORE COPIES, put the original in your safe or firebox and have extra copies in a quick place.
Please let your loved ones know where the will and other important documents are-see below and fill in the blanks, make copies and make sure that your family has the other copies of this FAMILY PLANNING CHECKLIST. YOU CAN ALSO LIST BANK ACCOUNTS, CARS, electronics and large appliances, as a two person account with beneficiary on page 119.
IF YOU DO HAVE A WILL, have you taken a look at it in the last year?_____ Well, get with your lawyer and review/redo it. Ask him/her about memorandums, trusts, and have many people listed, just in case something happens to many of you at once. List three to seven people in line. I do. CALL YOUR LAWYER, OR ASK A NEW ONE. DO NOT FORGET TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND GUARDIANS! Remember that MINORS do not have all property rights-HAVE A LAWYER PROVIDE FOR THEM IN THE WILL OR TRUST. SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. USE GUARDIANS IN THE WILL!
Name of Primary Guardian (other parent?):_______________________________________________.
Alternate Guardian and address: ___________________________________________________.
List here who your lawyers are with address and phone: ____________________________________
List here where your original copy of the will is: __________________________________________
List here who else has copies of your will are, include phones and addresses: _________________________________________________________________________________.
List other members of your family, friends, work, addresses, and important phone numbers on page 40.
TRUSTS: A trust is a legal entity–like a business corporation, that you can place your assets into the trust to avoid probate and tax matters. A trust is also good when there are children and your can address their needs and care, or if there is someone in your family that has special needs or if your health is failing and you want certain items taken care of then create a trust. If you have a pre-demise estate of six digits or more, then I highly suggest that you have a trust set up with a professional. This amount includes real estate and insurance proceeds of over $50,000.
Most trusts have three or more trustees with provisions for minors, their education and care, etc. You may revoke or change trusts as needed. You may move most personal items to the trust just like it was a business. Set up a bank account for the trust and your investment counselors and brokers can transfer your savings, CDs, annuities, stock, bonds, etc. to the trust.
The trust can have all provisions in it, for instance if you are hospitalized or in a coma, the trustees can take care of your affairs while you are indisposed. The third trustee is usually a bank trustee and can write checks, pay bills, provide for minors, etc., and take care of the trust and your affairs. Then you can designate for or more persons (trusts) to receive portions of your trust when you die. SEE YOUR LAWYER OR BANKER.
A trust is a great way to provide for your children, make sure they get shoes, an education, etc. without paying taxes!!
NAME OF TRUST:_________________________________________
TRUST LAWYER:_________________________________________
BANK THAT HOLDS TRUST: _________________________________
GRANTOR:__________________________________________________________
SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE::__________________________________
BANK TRUSTEE:_______________________________________
OTHER TO NOTIFY/ PROVISIONS:________________________
_____________________________________________________
MEDICAID TRANSFERS VS. TRUST AT $50,000: Set up your trust now. Seek PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. If you have more than $50,000 in assets including life insurance proceeds, then you should set up a trust. Assets inside of a trust should not be attached to the Medicaid Transfer Laws. See a lawyer and ask about your states’ laws. But you must do this a several (7) years ahead of needing Medicaid or a nursing home; so pre-plan for these eventualities now. Yes, we never know when our health could go bad, so prepare for it now. Look at the 100 scenarios on page 63. Think of a few more personal scenarios for you and your family. Not sure, try to do it, then e-mail or call us.
DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY: It is a legal document that authorizes another individual to act on your behalf to handle your wishes concerning your health if you are unable. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.
LIVING WILLS: This legal document provides for your wishes when you are hospitalized or incapacitated in regards to life sustaining treatments. Do you wish to be intubated, fed by IV? Coma? SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE!
DO NOT RESUSCITATE (DNR): When your illness is incapacitating and you do not wish to be resuscitated, due to a heart attack or other code, then your legal wishes will be granted.
OTHER ON DEATH: Help your family-all of you should have plans for funeral arrangements, many parlors have these plans, if nothing else write it down here, this is your DISASTER MANUAL, who, what, where, when, how, and talk about it. I know it's morbid, but thinking ahead makes more sense. MAKE COPIES OF THE CHECKLISTS-FILL IN-AND COPY AGAIN!!
FUNERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR: WILL IT BE: Church, Grave site, Cremation? Who is the Funeral Parlor? How about Veterans benefits, Social Security, Pensions, collect all basic data, your choice. The Veterans Administration and Social Security have various benefits for death, especially when it concerns children.
NAME ONE:___________________________________________
NAME TWO:___________________________________________
NAME THREE: ________________________________________
NAME FOUR:__________________________________________
