“Normal, everyday” preps… the kind of things that “non-preppers” often do (as do many preppers as well).
Sometimes we get so keyed up about prepping for The End Of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) Stuff Hits The Fans (SHTF) moments that we either set aside or forget about some really basic things.
The Local Newspaper Article
Our local newspaper often carries articles from staffers at the University Of Missouri’s Extension Service, and as I was reading our weekly copy of the paper, tucked in among the chicken-dinner news, 4-H pictures, births and obits I found the following short article written by Charles Holland, County Engagement Specialist University of Missouri Extension. Normal stuff, right?
For a mainstream weekly newspaper, I thought it was pretty good so I’m going to share it here with you, then add a few thoughts of my own on the end.
Preparing for a Disaster by Robert Holland
The weather this year has been one for the record books. Flooding is prevalent in every corner of our state.
With this in mind, what have you done to prepare in case of disaster? One item that many don’t think about is to create a backup for your important computer files, whether this is a cloud system back up or keeping everything on a flash drive. .
If the flash drive is in the same location as your computer, your backup is not complete. Having the computer and the backup in different locations lessens your chances of losing everything. The best plan is to keep a hard copy of important documents, update information monthly, and keep it somewhere secure such as a safe deposit box at a local bank.
Business
The same rule applies to businesses as well. It is a good idea to keep a list of important numbers such as creditors and account numbers with the hard copy as well as insurance papers. For businesses, other important information would include a vendor and customer list. The people who get quick assistance in disasters are the ones who have their documentation and a copy of their records where they are easily accessible. Another helpful document to have in an emergency is an inventory.
Insurance
Your insurance company has forms they can provide you that will advise you to write down the items you possess and take snapshots of the rooms to make it easier when a disaster strikes. The federal and state governments also have helpful documents with worksheets and tips on how to prepare.
Resources
You can search the http://fema.gov for such materials as well as http://extension.missouri.edu and the http://sba.gov.
Keeping track of financial information is critical to a quick recovery. Especially in our electronic age, many people do not have paper access to their accounts, account balances, bank statements or credit card information.
It is possible that your banking information could be unavailable for an extended period of time following a disaster. Keeping records updated and in a separate location can help you to reestablish yourself after a disaster. When you are thinking about what you would need to be prepared for a disaster, do not just think in terms of water and canned goods, but also think about what you need to function from day to day.
Salty’s take
OK, there’s nothing earth shattering about what Robert wrote, but these are some good ideas. Again, it’s normal, every-day prepping.
Electronic backups do no good unless you store them in a place that will not be impacted by the same SHTF event that knocks out the primary computer / electronic device. I personally store my backups in a Faraday bag in the local bank’s safe deposit box area.
Paranoid Prepper wrote a good article with some excellent advice on this matter which you can read by clicking here.
This isn’t an all-inclusive list, I just thought it was something that might stir up some thoughts about what you need to do in your situation to get things squared away if they aren’t.
Hey Salty; Have a thought for ya. Your Quote;
“Electronic backups do no good unless you store them in a place that will not be impacted by the same SHTF event that knocks out the primary computer / electronic device. I personally store my backups in a Faraday bag in the local bank’s safe deposit box area.”
Well I will say first I do NOT trust Banks any further that I can pick em up and toss them.
BUT using your logic What would be the chances of the Bank taking a “Holliday” or closing if/when SHTF, the same SHTF that knocked out the “primary computer / electronic device”, would that not also effect the Banks? You will not be allowed into the Bank to retrieve a single thing out of the Safety Deposit Box, wondering what all you have trusted that Bank to? PM’s, Electronic Data, Titles, Deeds, Wad of Cash, so-on?
I agree 1000% on the backups and backups to the backups, on EVERYTHING, what’s that saying “Two is One, One is None”? BUT Two is no good if you can’t get to it; locked away in an inaccessible Bank.
Just something to think on,
Please note I didn’t say that was my ONLY backup… it’s just one that is fire/flood/tornado/weather/riot/etc. proof. 99.99 percent of the time a SHTF event where a backup of my data will be useful is a situation where my home is destroyed by tornado / fire / flood etc.
If TEOTWAWKI hits and the banks all close, my personal tax records, accounting records, etc. won’t be worth getting out of the vault whether it’s open or not.
I workflow the likely, and deal with the exceptions… I don’t workflow the unlikely first.
Salty;
Same Page than…..
One difference I ‘workflow’ the unlikely which usually covers the likely 🙂