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What is a computer (hard drive and disk), but a (pricey) vessel used to store digital versions of papers, phone numbers, and important documents?
In the current age of cloud storage options, I think of this fifth P as an extension of the second P (from Week 9). If you’re at your residence when you receive an evacuation order, then do grab your personal computer(s), hard drive(s), and disk(s). But, in the event you’re away from your home when wildfire ignites and it isn’t safe to return, I recommend taking steps now to ensure your files are still accessible. Either put these items near your Go Bag, in a fireproof safe, or make sure the most important files are stored in a trustworthy cloud storage option (links to possibilities are below).
Cost: $0 - $$$ (Depending on the supplies you may need to buy now) Frequency: Check your supplies semi-annually, and add or swap any new items right away This task depends on where you are when an evacuation is ordered. How do you plan to tackle it? Links and Resources
Important Disclaimer: I am not a fire preparedness professional. I am merely sharing my research, opinions, and what I find that applies to my geographic and personal situations in hopes that it will help others. Please make sure that whatever steps and advice you follow are what is best for you.
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This week, we’re addressing the items that we can survive without, but really hope not to have to. Thank goodness for phones with high quality cameras and the ability to store memories photographically. But, for those of us who started taking pictures when film was the only option, here is your reminder to digitize your favorites. Fire that scanner back up and get to work! And, although it’s impossible to photograph or scan a three-dimensional item and still have the same emotional response, perhaps that image will be better than nothing following an emergency. If anything, it will help prompt stories.
Pictures and Irreplaceable Memorabilia
This fourth P is particularly personal. The list above includes examples of what may be most important to you and your family. Like the documents from Week 9, I scan or take photos and videos of my items and save them on the disks and in the cloud. Of course, if there are items you absolutely cannot part with (I know I have a few), make sure they’re stored with your Go Bag to be evacuated with you or placed in a fireproof safe. For items that cannot be evacuated with a short notice order, such as a piano passed down from generation to generation, there are methods you can use from a variety of sources to emotionally prepare yourself for or recover from loss. I encourage you to find what will work best for you and your family, but below are some examples of how to identify the items that are most important to you, as well as how to let them go.
There’s no doubt that dealing with the loss of items qualifies as a grieving process. It is important to not dismiss those feelings, and to work through them on your terms. Emotions aside, it is also smart to capture “before” videos and photos of your property, structure, and possessions for insurance purposes. Then, when you can return to your property post-fire, it’s important to have “after” evidence and record damage to your home and personal items. (Refer to “10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Natural Disasters” from Lawrence & Associates). Cost: $0 - $$ (Depending on the supplies you may need to buy now) Frequency: It’s probably ideal to get the most up-to-date files on the removable disk to someone you trust at least semi-annually. If you have advanced warning before an evacuation, what item(s) will you be sure to pack? Share in the Comments. Important Disclaimer: I am not a fire preparedness professional. I am merely sharing my research, opinions, and what I find that applies to my geographic and personal situations in hopes that it will help others. Please make sure that whatever steps and advice you follow are what is best for you.
After this week, we’ll be halfway through the P’s. Last week (Week 9), you gathered important information, including prescription and vitamin details, as well as vision records. This week, make sure to collect the actual items.
The third P only lists prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses, but I recommend adding anything you need regularly to this list. If you want, you can separate the items by “must haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Prescriptions, Vitamins, and Eyeglasses
Here is what I do: Every time I get a new prescription or bottle of vitamins I count out 14 pills and save them in a pill box in my Go Bag. That way I’m not storing pills for several years past their expiration dates because I’m cycling them each time I acquire a new bottle. Also, this serves as a time to check what is in my Go Bag. If you need glasses during an emergency, store a pair purchased from the drugstore in your Go Bag. Or, when you pick up a new prescription pair, save the previous pair in your Go Bag (assuming the prescription hasn’t changed that much). If there are any other items you require during an extended time away from home, make sure to have something that will get you through at least two weeks. For example, purchase an extra cane or hearing aid batteries and store them with your Go Bag now. Cost: $0 - $$ (Depending on whether you need to purchase anything) Frequency: Check your supplies every two-to-three months, but add or swap any new items right away. Do not let medications expire or batteries lose their charge. I’d love to know how you all tackle this step. Leave your tips and ideas in the Comments. Important Disclaimer: I am not a fire preparedness professional. I am merely sharing my research, opinions, and what I find that applies to my geographic and personal situations in hopes that it will help others. Please make sure that whatever steps and advice you follow are what is best for you.
If you’re like me, you have a mix of hard and soft copy documents scattered around. Maybe you went through a streak of scanning and digitizing documents in 2014, for example, but haven’t updated and organized your files since then. Now is your sign to get back to it.
This step is tedious. Believe me, I understand. But now it is as good a time as any to take some time to prioritize organizing, digitizing, and saving the documents you need in case of emergency. Fortunately, many of the keepers of our most critical records have gone digital. Medical and dental records, at least the recent ones, are likely saved and available through your provider’s portal. Your pharmacist should be able to pull prescription information to get you your refills. Government documents can be re-issued. Phone numbers can be stored in phones or can be found online. Papers, Phone Numbers, and Important Documents
You know what you and your family members will need. If you’re on a mission to get all medical records scanned and saved for peace of mind, then do that. Of course, you may not need every record stored and available in the event of evacuation. If you do not have a scanner of your own, phone cameras and apps are getting better about digitizing documents. You can also head to your local library and use their scanner; just remember to grab all documents and don’t leave anything behind. I do not recommend leaving paper copies of documents in your vehicle in case it gets stolen – that’s a great deal of personally identifiable information that is now in the hands of someone who already proved they aren’t trustworthy. Instead, I scan and store the digital versions as files in an encrypted folder. Then I…
There are also fireproof (and waterproof) safes (also called fire chests) that keep items protected. Basic models advertise the ability to keep items protected for up to 30 minutes at 1550 degrees Fahrenheit (843 degrees Celsius). (I’ve included some links to reviewed fires safes below.) In the event you can’t go home to retrieve documents before an evacuation order is issued, you may want to purchase one of these to store hard copies of documents (in addition to saving digital versions). To have the most important phone numbers stored and easily accessible, I have them saved in my phone. However, I also typed and printed in-case-of-emergency phone numbers on wallet-sized card stock (so it’s a bit more durable) for my wallet, just in case something happens to my phone. And, speaking of phones, remember it’s best to stick to texting during an emergency – “test messages get through even when voice networks are congested” (City of Homer, AK: Communicating With Your Family & Friends During a Disaster). Cost: $0 - $$$ (Depending on the supplies you may need, such as a scanner, disks, fire safe/chest, or cloud storage space) Frequency: Check your documents and get the most up-to-date files on the removable disk to someone you trust at least semi-annually (or depending on the amount of documentation you acquire throughout the year). If you update a particularly important document (such as a driver’s license), get that digitized, encrypted, and stored on the disk and/or cloud right away. The above steps are what I’ve taken to put myself in a better position regarding this second P. I’d like to know – what do you recommend? Please tell me in the Comments. Links and Resources
Important Disclaimer: I am not a fire preparedness professional. I am merely sharing my research, opinions, and what I find that applies to my geographic and personal situations in hopes that it will help others. Please make sure that whatever steps and advice you follow are what is best for you.
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Krista West has been at the intersection of the remote sensing, wildland fire, and science communication communities since 2016. One of her main goals is to help emergency responders and the community members they serve. Archives
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