Hurricanes Brings Destruction

Hurricanes Brings Destruction
GWM Brings Relief

Rebuilding After Disasters:Over the last year, earthquakes, tidal waves and hurricanes let a trail of destruction and grief throughout the world: Pakistan, the India Ocean region, and our own the Gulf Coast and East Coast states. In each instance, thanks to our generous supporters and partners that were quick responders with emergency supplies of blankets, household supplies, water and juices, food, and shelter supplies.

Seven Ways to Disaster Proof Your Life

HURRICANE KATRINA was a vivid reminder of life's uncertainty. Have you ever wondered what you would do if you suddenly become the victim of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, earthquake, fire, or other unexpected event? Would you know what to grab if you had only seconds to escape your house? The plans you've made in advance and the items you decide to take will determine how quickly you are able to rebound from disaster. Therefore, let me present seven ways to prepare for the unexpected.

1. Prepare a Grab-and Go Case. Organize your important legal, financial, and insurance paperwork into a file that you can snatch if you need to flee your house or city. Consider including birth certificate and estate planning documents, financial statements, insurance policies (homeowner's auto, life, and health). Social Security cards, a list of your prescriptions, a copy of your drivers license and some emergency cash.

2. Make a Contact List. If a disaster occurs, you'll want to contact friends and family to let them know you are safe or to ask for help. List their names, addresses, and phone numbers. Include your trusted advisors, such as your minister, physician attorney, financial advisor, accountant, insurance agent, and banker - they're all trained to help you pick up the pieces of your life.

3. Prepare a Household Inventory. After a major disaster most homeowner are simply not able to remember all their belongings for a insurance claim. A household inventory will help avoid this problem. Remember to store the inventory list somewhere other than your home, with a copy in your grab-and-go case.

4. Meet with Your Advisors. When you have six feet of water in your living room, this is not the time to discover you don't have flood insurance. The emergency room is not the place to learn you need a medical power of attorney. Take the time to schedule meetings with each of your advisors and let them know you are trying to fill in the gaps and disaster-proof your affairs.

5. Update Your Plans. Change is the one constant in life. Make sure to review and update your affairs at least annually. Some questions to ask include: (1) Has your martial status changed? (2) Has the value of your assets changed significantly? (3) Have you altered your insurance policies? (4) Have you changed jobs? (5) Has your health recently changed? If you answer Yes to any of those questions, you need to update your plans.

6. Have a Backup. Let's face it; you may not be able to escape with your important paperwork. Many fires, for example, happen while the homeowners are away. To protect yourself, store backup copies of important documents in a safe-deposit box or with a trusted friend, relative, or advisor; this would be a good idea to do. As a general rule, don't keep anything in a safe-deposit box that may be needed in an emergency, such as powers of attorney. Remember, a safe-deposit box may be accessible 24 hours a day and may be sealed temporarily after the box owner dies.

7. Evaluate Storage Solutions Carefully. Your primary focus should be keeping your information secure. If your computer is your main storage vault, make sure it has up-to date firewall and anti-virus protection. A reputable online storage service may be a good option for those comfortable with the technology.

Remember, fireproof safes may provide added protection for documents; however, you should be aware that consumer safes are rated to withstand heat and flames for an hour. After that, even if the safe is intact, the internal temperature could rise above 350 degrees and any paper inside would incinerate. This is what happen to the safe-deposit boxes in the World Trade Center, While some of the box survived, many contents did not.

None of us can prevent the unexpected, but putting your life back together again is much easier if you have the pieces.