Media Contact: Catherine Dehdashti, U of M Extension (612) 625-0237, ced@umn.edu
Source: Rosemary Heins, U of M Extension

'Red File'—your grab and go case for emergency situations

ST. PAUL, Minn. (3/24/2009) - Warnings for flooding in western Minnesota, as well as memories or news coverage of earlier disasters, are good reminders to be prepared. What will you do if you suddenly have to leave your home during flooding, or if you become a victim of another unexpected event?

Would you know what to grab if you only had minutes to escape your house? The plans you have made in advance and the items you decide to take will determine how quickly you are able to rebound from disaster, have information to file claims, and contact information for accounts and other items.

National agencies that work with such disasters recommend the following items to be gathered together and kept in a file case in a place where all family members can quickly "grab it and go":

Originals or copies of:

Birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees
Social Security cards of household members
Driver's license and other wallet cards
Will and/or trust documents; Powers of Attorney
Recent income tax return
Passports and/or other identity documents
Military discharge papers
List of your prescriptions: name of medication, dosage, pharmacy

Other important papers include:

Contacts for family members, employer, financial advisors, attorney, accountant and banker
Insurance policy information
Bank, credit union, and credit card account list
Summary of personal, financial, property, and other vital information

Other items to consider including:

Safe deposit box keys and/or safe combination
Computer user names and passwords; CD with relevant personal, financial, legal files
Some emergency cash

NOTE: News releases were current as of the date of issue. If you have a question on older releases, use the news release search (upper left-hand column of the News main page) or the main Extension search (upper right of this page) to locate more recent information.

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URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2009/emergency-red-file.html This page was updated Mar. 24, 2009 .
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