If you only had 15 minutes to prepare for an emergency, an evacuation box could spare you from panicking and possibly save lives.

A number of years ago, my wife and I had to take emergency cover from a tornado headed our way. We had little time to react so Ann rushed around grabbing everything she thought was important to preserve. I remember being in the tornado shelter and Ann holding our checkbook and our wedding pictures.

Tyra, at PreparednessMama.com, assembled a list of items you should store in an easy to carry, covered container. Regardless of whether you ever need it for an emergency, you will have it organized for other purposes.

Here’s a partial list:

• Certified Birth Certificates
• Social Security cards
• Immigration cards, visas, or passports
• Health records, immunizations & prescriptions
• School records, transcripts & diplomas
• List of previous addresses
• Resumes
• Financial documents
  • 3 years of bank statements
  • 7 years of tax records
  • social security info
  • retirement info and statements
  • loan contracts
  • credit card information and statements
  • stock certificates
  • any other savings (CD’s, bonds, etc)
• Insurance policies – car, life, home, rental
• Titles for home and cars
• Any other contracts
• Marriage certificates
• Church membership records and documents
• Applications and case info for government assistance
• Sale information from previous home(s) (keep for several years)
• Will, Donor and legal documents,
• Record of major home repairs and remodels
• Receipts and instructions for major purchases
• Home Inventory
• Cash/gold

Some of these things may be stored on your computer, but make sure you have written down all of your passwords.

Sounds like Ann and I have got some work to do when I get home!

The good news is, that if there ever is an emergency, we have help. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”