Preparing for the Big One

Each hurricane season we’re counseled on how best to prepare for a hurricane. Suggestions on how to insure all the information and documents we would need to get on with our lives after "the big one" is secure and readily available.

I personally have found most Good Booters are in fact aware of the importance of archiving their important documents to include their insurance policies, prescriptions, healthcare surrogate(s), power of attorney(s), Will(s), contacts and financial information. However, in many cases the archived documents are haphazardly secured in various locations.

Some use jump drives others CD/DVD’s and/or external hard drives. The storage devices are then placed in a bank safe deposit box, kept in a home safe or perhaps sent to a friend or relative for safe keeping. In fact, I’ve found many using all or a combination of all these methods to archive and secure their documents and important information.

There’s nothing wrong with using any or all of these methods. Unfortunately, however. I suggest each method on its own presents a unique challenge.
*Updating information and re distributing it can be a hassle.
*Your safe deposit box or home safe may not be readily available.
*Your friend may cease to be a friend.
*Your relative may become your ex relative.

My point is, in addition to whatever method you are using to store and secure your documents and emergency information for whatever reason, why not add Google and the Internet as an additional layer of accessible, organized secure storage.
* Your bank account(s) will probably be available on line wherever you may be. But be sure you have all your banking passwords along will any other financial passwords available in an uploaded Google document. You may be able to remember all your passwords, but your designated surrogate my not.
* Scan in your Will, your power of attorney, heath surrogate, insurances documents and any other information you might need in an emergence and upload them to Google documents.
* Organize your medical records from doctors and hospitals and your prescriptions from pharmacies in Google Health ( an new Google feature).
* Create a Google Calendar.
* Create a backup gmail account with all your important e-mail addresses.

In my opinion what makes Google’s "free, password protected" features so unique is all your information to include those you designate as surrogates is in one location available to be updated an/or edited from anywhere at anytime.

Here’s wishing you a Good boot