Archive for the ‘ Storm Ready ’ Category

How to Store Tax Documents and Cash In Case of Natural Disasters

As you collect W2s, 1099s and other tax documents, take a few extra steps to prepare an emergency financial first-aid kit. You never know when a pandemic, blackout, superstorm, fire or cyberattack will come.

The waterproof kit should contain essential documents you will need to reconstruct your financial life after a disaster — and also to help you get through one.

“Some docs you’ll need right away, and others you might not need right away but are difficult to replace,” said Neal Stern, a certified public accountant. “Some you have to have the original; some, a copy will suffice.”

Keep originals of identification: driver’s and marriage licenses, birth certificates, passports and Social Security cards, he said.

After a disaster, you may have to re-establish your ID, replace credit cards, complete a change-of-address form or apply for government assistance. Copies of those items could be kept in a secure cloud storage service, he added.

“If you can’t document who you are, it’ll be hard to get help,” said Stern, who is a member of the AICPA National CPA Financial Literacy Commission.

When people do get prepared for a disaster, said Jim Judge, a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, “oftentimes the financial side is not what people pay attention to.”

Judge keeps his important documents in a small plastic bin under his bed. He also stores money. “Cash is king,” he said, especially if the power is out and ATMs are not working.

Adam Levin, the ex-director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs who lost a house to Superstorm Sandy, recommended also creating a digital file of documents.

He suggests keeping digital copies of key financial documents on an encrypted waterproof USB flash drive. “If your bug-out kit gets into the wrong hands, it could be a nightmare,” he cautioned.

 

Adapted from the New York Post.

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Prepare for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

Plan Ahead:

• Gather supplies: food, water, medications, tools, etc. and prepare emergency kits. Learn more.
• Understand your evacuation routes and have alternate routes planned out as traffic will be extremely heavy.
• Clean out gutters and trim trees and shrubs. Make sure your tree trimmings are properly disposed of. Check with your local municipality or  waste management company for details.
• Inspect your roof, siding, foundation and basement to identify areas that need to be repaired or replaced.
• Reinforce garage doors – if wind blows through the garage, it can cause serious structural damage to other parts of your home.
• Consider replacing gravel or rock landscaping materials with shredded bark, since high hurricane winds could cause rocks to move around and damage your home.
• Prepare a home inventory with photos of your home and personal property.
• Place your insurance documents and other important paperwork in a safe, waterproof place that can be easily accessed.
• Take photos of yourself with your pets in case you get separated from them.

Before the Storm:

• Bring lawn furniture, trash cans and toys inside.
• Cover windows with 5/8-inch plywood that’s cut to fit and ready to install.
• Fill your gas tank, refill prescriptions and have extra cash on hand..
• Park your car in a garage or next to a building to protect it from wind and flying debris.
• Charge your cellphone and other electronics.
• Fill sinks, tubs and other containers with water for cleaning and washing.
• If you live in a tall building, find shelter on the 10th floor or lower before the storm strikes.

During the Storm:

• Listen to the radio or TV for information, and turn off utilities if told to do so.
• Avoid using the phone, except for emergencies.
• Stay inside, unless you’re told to evacuate.
• Stay away from windows and exterior doors.
• Turn off utilities and propane tanks.
• Keep your emergency kit with you.
• If you’re told to evacuate, do so immediately.

After the Storm:

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Five Steps to Prepare for Tornadoes

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has documented tornado activity in every state in America and on every continent in the world, excluding Antarctica.

Given the proper atmospheric conditions, a tornado can strike anywhere. Wherever you live, keep your home and family safe by executing the proper preparedness strategies before a severe storm strikes. Use these simple tips to learn how to prepare for tornadoes to keep your people and property protected this season.

 

Tornado warning signs

Tornadoes can form without much of a warning. Stay alert and pay attention when a tornado watch or warning is issued in your area. If you see any of the following danger signs, take shelter immediately:

• A funnel cloud
• Roaring noises
• Dark skies, potentially tinted green
• Debris
• Hail

Tornado safety preparation tips

Properly preparing your home for disaster is one of the easiest ways to keep your family safe in case of a tornado. You’ll be more likely to know where to go for shelter, have the supplies you need to survive, and experience less risk of property damage during and after the tornado passes your area. Follow these key safety tips to make your property as safe as possible:

1. Designate a safe room. This area can either be a storm cellar, a basement or a room on the lowest level of your home or building without any windows, like a closet. This room should be reinforced by a professional to provide extra protection during severe storms.

2. Put essentials in your safe room. An emergency kit full of food, water, important documents and life-saving supplies should always be readily available in your safe room. Keep extra clothing, blankets, a battery-powered radio, medication, a first aid kit, pet supplies and any other essentials in your safe room in the event you need to wait out the tornado for long periods of time.

3. Remove outdoor items. Debris, dead trees and furniture are likely to get picked up by the wind and thrown into your home. Secure or remove as many outdoor items on your property as possible.

4. Reinforce your home. Call a professional to reinforce any masonry walls or other structures that provide support to your home. If you have a chimney, have the professionals secure it with reinforced steel to prevent it from falling off during high winds. Professionals can also assess your home and make recommendations to add additional strength and stability.

5. Contact your insurance agent. It’s important to understand what kind of damage is and isn’t covered under your homeowner’s insurance. If you need to add any extra items to your policy, do so before a tornado has a chance to hit your area.

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Six Steps to Prepare for Severe Storms

1. Be in the know! Check out the NWS website for detailed information on all types of weather alerts and safety information. Save the sites and/or apps to your mobile devices.
2. Create an emergency kit and a plan. Check your emergency supply kit (flashlights, batteries, water, first aid, etc.) or create a kit if you don’t have one (Access Home Insurance provides a list of what you need). Place the kit in a designated location – and make sure your family members/co-workers can access it. Your emergency plan should consist of how your family will communicate with each other following a storm. It should also designate which neighbors/family members should be checked on. Once you’ve organized the plan and everyone understands their responsibilities, post the plan in your home or business in a visible location.
3. Gather documentation. Photograph your home or office before a storm. Keep the photos, important papers and valuables in a safe, secure place. Make sure you have electronic copies of your insurance policy saved to your mobile device. If you have pets, your documentation should include veterinarian records.
4. Identify appropriate shelters. What location in your home is the safest? Is there a neighborhood or community location where you can go in the event you have to evacuate your home? If you have a dog or cat, check to see if they allow pets. Share this information with your neighbors or other family members. Consider social media updates – Facebook and Twitter are great ways to communicate this information, as it provides instant updates and notifications. Make sure you have evacuation routes planned out on paper in case your mobile device isn’t charged. More than one route should be mapped as there will likely be heavy traffic in the even of sudden evacuations.
5. Ask Experts. Learn how to protect and reinforce your home and business against severe weather.
6. Stay Connected to Local and National Alerts. Governments are more sophisticated now about notifying people about disasters. In most cases, you can also sign-up for a variety of alerts through social media and local news as well. Understand your local warning systems/signals. Weather.gov, noaa.gov  and fema.gov are all great resources for information online and via social media feeds such as Twitter.

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The Only Hurricane Preparedness Checklists You’ll Ever Need

There are serval items which are often overlooked when preparing for storm season. In addition to developing a plan of action and photographing your home and valuables, consider taking the following measures:

• Prepare shutters or other coverings for doors and windows.
• Reinforce roof trusses.
• Examine and repair roof shingles.
• Caulk openings, flashings and soffits.
• Reinforce entry doors and collect exterior covering as required.
• Replace hard mulch with soft material.
• Buy and install a backflow-prevention device in your
  sewer line.
• Trim trees and shrubs.
• Purchase a generator, gas cans, CO detectors and extension cords.
• Decide how to tie down large outdoor equipment.
• Reinforce or replace your garage door. Garage door bracing hardware: www.securedoor.com.
• Purchase supplies for cleanup and repair.
• Purchase a road atlas. In times of evacuation you will need to develop plans on how to escape depending on advice from your local Emergency Management. Knowing the routes out of town and beyond is very important. Also don’t rely solely on a GPS, if everybody follows the same set of standardized directions on their GPS systems then there is going to be mass congestion. Instead plan a route, and a set of alternate routes by hand ahead of time and save yourself a lot of trouble.
• A solar powered charging device for electronic products such as phones and tablets may be handy to have. A source to purchase these: www.solio.com.

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