Human life is comprised of paperwork. Even if SHTF, you’d most likely still need copies of your important documents. They come in handy for many situations, like proving ownership of a property or gaining access to another country. When disaster strikes, those papers become proof of your identity, among other things, so it’s best to have printed and digital copies of them in your bug-out bag. (h/t to TimGamble.com)
Document checklist
Preppers are in the habit of considering every possible scenario. However, bringing 500 pages of important documents would only bog you down while traveling. Prioritize which papers have to be printed and set aside those you can store digitally. These documents include:
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Wills, Powers-of-Attorney
- Financial records (taxes, insurance, etc.)
- All your bank-related items (credit cards, debit cards, passbooks)
- All your IDs (passport, driver’s license, etc.)
- High school and college diplomas
- Educational transcripts
- Home and property deeds
- Medical information (health insurance, medical records, etc.)
There are also practical items you need to have in your bug-out bag (BOB). They’re not "official" documents, but they are quite handy in a survival situation. Here are some of them:
- A summary of your information (name, birthday, etc.)
- Contact information of family and friends
- Emergency contact numbers of hospitals, fire department, etc.
- Maps of the areas you’ll be in
Importance of digital copies
The general rule of thumb when securing copies of important documents is to print out the summaries and save the complete file in a flash drive.
You might think that since the power grid might be down, you no longer need a flash drive. There won’t be any computers to use after all. However, you must consider portability and convenience. Some documents are over a hundred pages long, and the added weight makes it harder to carry your BOB. Moreover, they occupy limited space that could be allotted for other items instead. (Related: Is your bug-out bag getting heavy? Reconsider these 9 items.)
If you’re concerned about security, there are ways to protect your files:
- Encrypt your flash drive. Loading a security software in your flash drive prevents strangers from accessing it. Some drives already have encryption software installed.
- Disguise the file names. The easiest way to hide your important documents is to change their filenames. Make sure to add other items inside the drive so that they don't stand out. Pick common names that other people won’t notice.
- Change the file type. This brings a whole new level of security to your documents. The file type refers to the file extension of each filename (.jpeg, .pdf, .exe, etc.). For example, you changed "Mortgage.pdf" to "House.exe." Since it’s the wrong file type, it also can’t be opened. You have to change it back to the original end code in order to access it.
- Zip your documents. Compressing your documents into a .zip file saves a lot of space. It also allows you to set a password. Most computers have this as a built-in feature. If your computer doesn’t have it, check zipping applications like 7-Zip.
Prepare two flash drives for your documents. This way, if one gets lost, you still have a copy. You can have one on a chain around your neck and the other safely stored away in your BOB.
Keeping your physical copies safe
Having printed copies makes your documents easy to access and immediately available. However, a survival scenario is prone to a lot of dangers and moving about. The biggest problem is getting them wet, which would smudge the information or tear the paper itself.
Here are some things that you can do to protect your printed copies:
- Place them in a waterproof container. A zipped plastic envelope would keep your documents dry. It’s not full proof, but it does offer a level of protection.
- Laminate them. Lamination is a great way to keep printed documents safe. However, it’s difficult to laminate a lot of pages, and laminating each one puts on some weight. If you want to save space, try folding the document’s pages together and laminate them as is.
Ensure that your physical copies are hidden well inside your BOB. Not only does this reduce the likelihood of them falling out, it also prevents onlookers from getting any malicious ideas.
Remember: The copies of your important documents are evidence of your identity. Keep them protected from the elements and strangers. Learn more about preparing for disaster at Survival.news.
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