The start of the new year may be the best time to get prepared so you are not caught off guard when disaster strikes. There are many resources available to help everyone get started, so I will share the basics and then provide links to other helpful information.
Get Financially Prepared: Take Steps Ahead of Disaster compiled by K-State’s Family Resource Management Program Focus Team is an excellent resource that you can download or stop by the Extension Office and get a copy. https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3055.pdf To be prepared, you should have a household inventory, check your insurance coverage, and prepare a grab-and-go box.
Preparing a household inventory will take time but will definitely be worth it. A written inventory of your belongings, backed up by a video of each room in your home, can help prove what your lost and what was damaged.
https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/publications/p0633.pdf
This inventory is formatted to allow you to enter pertinent information regarding the property you own. For example, the following sheets contain columns to identify the purchase date, original purchase price, current value, and replacement value. Keeping original receipts is beneficial (and a good practice for larger purchases) as they will help provide this information.
A final resource is “Your Disaster Checklist” https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_adult-fin-edyour-disaster-checklist.pdf
If you have to leave your home in an emergency, your financial records may be the last thing you would think to grab. Have a copy of all your important paper work stored in a place away from your home or place of business. If you have access to a computer you can scan documents and store them on a flash drive or back them up to secure online cloud storage service.
If you need a printed copy of any of these resources, please contact me at the Hays office or the Great Bend office.
Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at [email protected]