With an enormous flood surge coming down the Cedar River many homeowners were told to evacuate. Twice in eight years we’ve helped families facing evacuation only to find them mentally frozen and unable to decide what to take and what to leave.
Evacuations are difficult. No one ever wants to be forced from their home, but everyone should realize the possibility that it can happen due to a wildfire, hurricane, flood, tornado, or some other disaster.
But back to our friends who needed to decide quickly what to take with them. Neither had made any prior plans and both seemed to want to save large items, like furniture. They were mentally confused and seemed unable to decide what they should quickly grab and easily fit into their car.
That’s when we stepped in. “Take the things that can’t easily be replaced and will be useful in the next few days,” we advised. These include:
- Critical papers: like insurance documents (life, home, health), financial items, check books, credit cards, birth certificates, mortgage papers
- Many people have the most important information on their smart phone.Documents and contact information on an external hard drive. Grab them quickly and they’ll be an invaluable help during evacuation. Remember the chargers!
- Cash in small bills.
- Personal items needed for a few days and nights. Medicines. If time allows bring some clothing, flashlight, jackets, and toiletries.
- Contact information. Phone numbers and addresses of family and friends, financial advisers, physicians, insurance agent, and anyone else you may need to contact.
- Family photos and small mementos.
- Pets if possible.
The Winding Pathways website includes several blogs that help homeowners prepare disaster bins in advance of a crisis that help them survive for short periods without utilities and what to grab in an emergency. Click on “Preparedness” to see the blogs.
