Long-Term Will Storage

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Both of my parents' wills are complete. This is the end of a legal process that has taken months and too much money, but at the end not only do we have a Last Will & Testament for both my parents but also Living Wills, Financial and Healthcare Powers of Attorney, HIPPA Authorizations, Personal Property Memoranda, and an Enhanced Life Estate Deed. This came to us in the form of two inch-thick packets and a thumb drive. 

In order to preserve these documents, we did the following:

• One packet is with our paper files, should we ever need a printout. 
• The second packet (an identical copy of the first) I sealed in waterproof plastic using a vacuum sealer and placed it in the garage freezer. This should protect it against fire and most forms of damage to the house. 
• The data on the USB drive was copied and physical USB sticks were sent to my siblings. Not only does this give them access to the information, but it also helps insure survival of the information via geographic dispersion.
• The original USB was placed inside my Bug Out Bag along with other important digital documents, such as copies of birth certificates, pictures of pets and family members (to aid in recognition and reunion in case of separation), and so forth. 

We very deliberately did not place anything inside of a safe deposit box. This was a personal choice made as a result of us wanting to cut back on expenses. If you choose to do so, I would recommend that you password protect the drive and encrypt it if possible. 

That's all I have for today. There's too much drama going on at home right now to write more. 

The EDC Wallet

Why an EDC wallet? Because out of all of your gear, getting back to normality after most SHTF is probably going to require documentation, and you are most likely to store those documents in your wallet. People were out of work for months after Katrina not because they couldn't find work, but because they couldn't find their legal ID to show to prospective
employers. No ID, no employment.

Even just having a Drivers License that will not get lost due to a defective wallet can make a huge difference. And can you imagine what would happen if an immigrant lost their green card?

The Wallet
Ideally, an EDC wallet will be

• Durable
• Large enough to hold what you use on a regular basis
• Compartmentalized enough to make it easy to sort
• Small enough that it can still fit in a standard pocket
• Warrantied such that if something happens to it, you don’t have to worry. (I prefer this on all of my tools if I can).
• I strongly prefer mine to have an ID window

I personally use an Eddie Bauer Tri-Fold Leather wallet (now no longer made, unfortunately, but you can still pick them up on eBay). Eddie Bauer actually has a reputation for an amazing warranty, and tends to back it up even after years (even decades), promising 100% satisfaction.

All of this becomes even more important if you have a child, especially one that is rough on things. Can you imagine trying deal with the hassle of proving that a child is yours so that you can get them medical care, and not having the appropriate documents?

Its Contents
Just as important as a durable wallet is having the right things inside it.

Medical
As someone with life-threatening allergies, it amazes me that so many people who have these allergies don’t have some way of alerting first responders to those allergies if they are unconscious.

When I went through first aid training, we were told we might need to look in a wallet for a medical card, listing things like allergies or serious medical conditions (diabetes, transplants etc.)

Having a small printout with your allergies listed (for example, an allergy to penicillin) can literally save your life, especially in an accident. There are certain medications that they cannot administer if you are allergic to certain things, and having a listing of those makes care for you much easier.

Financial
This is personal opinion, so take it with a grain of salt: I like to keep an ounce of silver in my wallet. Family history (as well as written accounts of things like the Russian revolution and various major economic collapses) indicate that while an ounce of silver will not get you all the way out of most troubles, it can get you a meal, a tank of gas, or maybe even bribe a border guard.

I urge careful consideration regarding whether or not this is appropriate for you.

Other
I am a fan of carrying an unlubricated, latex-free condom. Aside from its traditional uses, I have lost count of the number of times I have used it in waterproofing electronics -- cell phones are expensive, and having lived in areas prone to unexpected flooding, I have had to wade through more than one small unexpected river in order to get home.

I am also a fan of having an emergency packing list, which is used in circumstances of “I have to evacuate and these are all the things I need to double check”. Adrenaline and stress make people do odd things, and writing that list down before hand can save a lot of stress.

Emergency contacts are essential, especially for a child. Having a “Call this person if this child is lost” card can save a lot of stress.


TL:DR Wallets are an important part of preparedness. Don’t forget them.

Cheap Gear Review: Document Bags

I don’t know about you, but when I find myself opening a bug-out or get-home bag, I have a small problem. In fact, I have a lot of small problems: all the pieces that float to the bottom of the bag and are impossible to find quickly. Do you take allergy pills? Good luck finding that tiny bottle in less than five minutes, and if you (like me) are already itchy and miserable when you are looking for them, five minutes is a miserable thing.

Modular and Fast
My solution to this dilemma is a document bag. These bag are designed to hold receipts, passports, boarding passes, etc and are small, inexpensive, fairly durable, and easily labeled.Their modular nature allows you to identify, locate and retrieve them quickly and easily; a snake bite is something that you'll need to treat in a hurry and is a very different emergency than a burn.

For quick identification, I use a small description tag with the contents written on the back, or a title written on it with a paint pen, depending on the bag.

Example: “Medical” on the front in a large easy to read font, with “Inhaler, Epipen, painkiller (Advil), painkiller (Tylenol), Allergy medication (Zyrtec), Allergy medication (Allegra), bandaids, tiger balm, finger pulse oximeter.

I also have bags with my oral hygiene supplies, my computer cables, extra batteries etc. This gives me a full packing list of everything that I am supposed to have in it, which makes it easy to tell if I am missing something.

I Recommend

https://amzn.to/2KkEORf

This is the exact model that I use, a Husky-brand 12-inch bag. I like this style because I can connect a carabiner to the tab and clip it to my backpack, MOLLE webbing, hooks, and occasionally even a random twig. I recommend a cheap model, like these.

I've been using these document bags as sorters for over a year now and have yet to have one of them fail or rip, and I've even run them through the washing machine. I do not recommend the dryer for them, though, since the model I use is actually a plastic-based canvas and I had worries about it melting. I haven't put one through the dishwasher yet, although I will try to correct this.

https://amzn.to/2yJ3em1

If you are budget minded, you can get three bags of varying sizes for half the price of the Husky.

My Rating: 5/5

I highly recommend these bags. It saves me a lot of time and hassle to use them, and I can transport them between bags. My BoB is wonderful, but sometimes I need only one component from it, and these bags give me the freedom to take what I need and leave the rest behind.

Keep your powder dry, and don’t forget to practice.

Prepping for Going to the ER

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I must apologize for my absence lately. As some of you my know, I live with my two elderly parents (80 and 77) and help take care of them and the house. Unfortunately, both of them went to the ER recently*, and that has rather understandably distracted me. However, it also gives me the topic for today.

If you've been to the ER recently, you know that unless you are hemorrhaging or otherwise close to death, the first thing you will have to do is fill out paperwork. The admitting nurse will ask you questions which, while important for treatment -- What medications are you on? Are you allergic to anything? What is your medical history? -- require a certain clarity of thought and memory that you may not currently possess.

Therefore, it makes sense to answer these questions now, while your head is clear and your health is good, so that you may have them for later.

Write It Down
For purposes of this article, I assume that these entries are being written on a word processor and not longhand.

Medical History
Going back as far as you can remember, write down every major procedure you have experienced, the month and date that it happened, and any other pertinent information (such as if it were resolved).

• Example 1: mom was diagnosed with cataracts in 1999, but no surgery was performed until 2014. So her entry reads Cataracts -  discovered (no surgery) Aug 1999 - surgery Sept 2014.
• Example 2: My thumb was cut very badly when I was working for the Census -- so badly that I required surgery. My file reads 
• Injury - Cut left thumb (stitches) - June 2010
• Surgery - Nerve Conduit - Spet 2010
• Example 3: I am prone to kidney stones, so I have kept a record of all the ones which required a trip to the ER. 

Family History
If you have a direct blood relative with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, make a note of this and when it was diagnosed. If your relative dies of the condition or complications thereof, be sure to write that down, too, and the age at which they died if it was unusual. This will help in diagnosing an inherited or genetic defect, and alert doctors to the fact that you may be at risk to certain things.

Medicines and Supplements
If you're on a prescription medicine, write it down.

If you take something often (such as in my chase, painkillers for frequent headaches and an allergy suppressant + decongestant), write that down too. This can include inhalers and nose sprays.

If you take herbal or dietary supplements, wrote those down. They can have interactions with other prescribed drugs.

Allergies
If you're allergic to medication, then obviously write down that information. But don't forget regular allergies, as well, like if you're allergic to peanut butter or latex or even seasonal allergies like pollen.

If possible, write down your reaction to them as well. For example, mine says PENICILLIN WILL KILL ME. That gets attention quickly.

Bad Habits
Look, I know that nobody likes confessing to their doctors, but if you're in the ER they only care about what might hurt you. So if you abuse drugs, write down what you take and how. If you smoke or drink a lot, write down how much and how often. If you're a caffeine fiend or eat a lot of sugar, put that down. And, yes, write down if you're sexually active, with whom, and if you're using precautions or not.

Doctors and Next of Kin
It wouldn't hurt to include the names and telephone numbers of your doctor (if you have more than one, list specialty next to the name) and your spouse, children, or anyone else who needs to be notified if you are injured. That way all you have to do is show the file to a doctor or nurse (or email it to them) and they can make the appropriate calls as necessary.

Now Upload That Sucker
After you write all of this out, put it somewhere you can easily access. For most people, this will involve putting the document on a smartphone or tablet that they always have with them; others may decide to put it on a thumb drive.

I would caution against putting this information "in the cloud" for security reasons.

Don't Forget to Update
Every time you have a new injury, or a new procedure, or otherwise have new medical information, write it down as soon as you are able. That way you will always be up to date the next time you find yourself in the Emergency Room!



*Friday morning, mom was on a ladder when it shifted and she fell off, hitting her head on the concrete below. She received an MRI to check for concussion and other injuries, and aside from a gash on the back of her head that required three stitches, she was declared fine. She came home that afternoon and other than being sore from the fall and exhausted from all the procedures was fine.

Saturday noon, dad started having chest pains and was taken by ambulance to the ER. He has a history of problems with his heart as well as hypertension, and it's my assumption that worry and stress about mom caused this. He was admitted that day and is still there as I write this now (Sunday afternoon). They're going to do a stress test on him tomorrow, and that will determine when he comes home.

Scan Your Stuff

Not actually Erin.
Picture by KJ Photography
& is used with permission.

Let's say that you have to bug out because of a disaster -- in my case, a hurricane -- and when you get back, your home is destroyed.

Can you prove it was insured?

Let's say that you're seeking asylum as a refugee and you need to cross a military checkpoint. They're only letting American citizens through.

Can you prove your citizenship?

You're separated from your loved ones.  Can you prove you're related?

There's a smallpox epidemic. Can you prove you've been inoculated?

In this increasingly information-based society, the paperwork necessary to prove your legal status is, more often than not, accessed electronically. Even when there isn't a disaster, this isn't always ideal:  how many of us have been thwarted by the DMV or other government office by the statement "Our internet is down" ?

If you think you'll be able to go online to access your records in an emergency, you're sadly mistaken. Fortunately, there are several easy solutions to this.

First, Scan Everything

Make electronic copies of everything you own. If you have a scanner at home, you're golden. If not, it's relatively easy to go to Kinko's (or another business that specializes in copying documents) and have them make the scans for you.  In a pinch, a suitably high-resolution digital photograph might work. 

Some suggested items:

• Home and vehicle insurance policies
• Deed to house
• Title to car or other vehicles
• Driver's License
• Concealed Carry Permit
• Credit Cards
• Passport
• Birth Certificate  (yours and those of any children you have)
• Photos of loved ones
• Marriage License/ Divorce Decree
• Form DD 214, if former military
• Vaccination Record
• Those of your pets as well, if you have them
• Prescription strength of your latest eye exam, if you wear glasses
• Model and serial number of any firearms you own.  (I realize this one will cause some consternation, as many folks will not want the SN's of their guns accessible to anyone but them. That's up to you, but I'd prefer to be able to prove ownership in case they're lost or stolen.)

Don't forget to turn them over! Many ID cards and documents have important info on the back as well. For maximum efficiency, I would suggest putting multiple small items (like ID cards) onto the same scan. 

Second, Burn Them To Media

The type of media you burn them onto should be influenced by what kind of disaster you're expecting. 

Optical Discs

Pros: CD/DVD-ROM are stable forever, so long as they aren't scratched or exposed to heat strong enough to warp the surface.
Cons: Slightly bulky, fragile, requires a CD/DVD drive to access.

Thumb Drives

Pros:  Light, portable, holds more data than DVD-ROM, very affordable, can be used with anything that has a USB port.
Cons:  Easy to lose, susceptible to data damage from electromagnetic radiation, can carry viruses (admittedly, so can CD/DVD-ROMs, but you usually know when something is writing to a disc without permission; thumb drives can have malware inserted on them without your knowledge or consent). 

The Cloud

Pros: If the internet exists, you can access them.
Cons: If the internet exists. Also, some people believe that the government and/or hackers can read everything you've uploaded to cloud storage. 

Portable Computer

Pros: It's always nice to have a hard drive full of books, music, and/or movies to keep you entertained, and if you can get access to the internet, you can check your email and tell loved ones where you are.
Cons: Heavy, require electricity to operate, vulnerable to viruses and EMP, attractive target for thieves.

Paper Copies

Pros: Low-tech, works anywhere people can read, immune to EMP, usually considered more "authentic" than a digital copy.
Cons: Bulky in quantity, easy to lose or damage (fire, water, wind, animals, theft, etc). 

Please note that in the case of a national or global EMP, most of the documents will be useless anyway  (what good are insurance forms if there's no banking)?

Finally, Remember to Diversify

I've taken a multi-pronged approach to this.  My scanned documents are on thumb drives (one each per bug-out bag) as well as stored on a laptop and uploaded to the cloud. Really important paper documents are kept in safe but can be retrieved for evacuation if time isn't critical. This way, whatever the disaster, we should have at least one functioning form of documentation with us at all times.