The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection predicts that 2012 will be a tough wildfire season. There have already been more than 800 wildfires in the California including two in San Diego County as recently as May 18.
The first tropical storm of the 2012 hurricane season was declared on May 19 by the National Hurricane Center. Tornados, earthquakes, and flash floods strike without warning but people living in areas where they typically occur can put together emergency kits long before they are needed. Housefires destroy homes across the country.
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Advance planning will help you save treasured memories and the vital papers that you will need afterwards. These are the same papers that can be used for identity theft. While tragedies bring out the best in some people, they also attract predators that are willing to steal or even sift through anything left behind for items they can sell or use for identity theft.
There are a number of papers you need to protect from loss or exposure. Keep your tax and insurance papers, financial records, medical identification cards, passports and items with Social Security numbers in a portable locked box at all times. It should be large enough to also hold wills, deeds, birth certificates, copies of driver’s licenses, property records, photos or video of personal belongings, immigration papers, and medical records for each family member including a list of current prescriptions and allergies.
When warned of a potential disaster, place the locked box somewhere near an exit door for quick removal in the event of an evacuation. Tape the key on your body so that it won’t get lost or stolen from a pocket or wallet. Never leave valuables in locked cars waiting for an evacuation order. Unfortunately during the 2007 San Diego fires thieves vandalized cars in their own driveways.
As long as your computer files are password-protected, it will be safe to leave behind. Always keep a back-up mobile drive of records for the last two years. This includes any tax forms you did on your computer, records of credit card, banking and other financial accounts and copies of cherished photos. You may wish to have two drives, one that is updated regularly and kept in the locked box, and one sent to a trusted family member in another state for safekeeping. Password-protect the file so that only a limited group of people can view the file.
If you plan to stay in a community shelter understand that you should never allow the locked box out of your sight. You can also remove the papers from the box, including a mobile drive, place them in a heavy duty freezer zip bag and tape the bag firmly to your chest under your clothes. It makes the papers difficult to steal.
Businesses also need to prepare for natural disasters. Keep locked files with personal identifying information in a safe spot in your building. Maintain a back-up network server in another part of the city or state. Should you return and find papers that contained information that could be used for identity theft are missing contact law enforcement. Then, if possible, contact the affected parties so that they can place fraud alerts on their credit reports.
Finally be aware that disasters always are followed with scams, started by thieves waiting to exploit the situation. Only donate money to well-known charities by contacting them. Do not believe any phone call, text or email you receive from a company that cannot confirm information. Some will say that their database was damaged. Take a minute to think – how did they know how to contact you if your information was lost?
