Many of those who have fallen victim to such disasters as tornados, earthquakes, fire and more will tell you that one of the most crucial items to emergency preparedness surviving the aftermath of the disaster is to have a documented list of your belongings. Long after survival gear is necessary, you will need to recoup and inform your insurance companies of lost or destroyed items. Without proper documentation this can be an impossible task.

Using Technology: In the digital age we have a greater ability to store information safely. By storing this information within a safe and secure cloud environment we have the assurance that the documents are not destroyed along with the documented items. This can be a list of items or even a digital camera film of closets and other home areas.

Storing Product ID Numbers: Product ID information can be extremely useful for proving ownership of lost, stolen or destroyed items. But, more often than not, the ID numbers are lost, stolen or destroyed along with the items themselves. If you prefer to keep a copy of this information close to the product in case of maintenance issues, be sure to scan and store another copy on your secure and safe cloud environment.

Three is the Charm: In addition to having a copy of the documented products at your home (perhaps in a safe) and on a secure cloud area, you can also keep a copy with relatives or friends living in a different region. This can be a paper copy or a zip drive. Some disasters may destroy the ability to communicate regularly through the Internet. Having your list of belongings along with product ID numbers in a third area will reduce the risk of the list being lost and useless.

Being prepared for a disaster goes beyond having the right emergency survival gear. Once an emergency situation has passed you must also be prepared for what comes with getting your life back together. Having a document stating your belongings is just one piece of this puzzle.