08 Jul 2007

Nancy Davis Kho, Special to The Chronicle

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Develop a plan, then keep vital documents protected and handy

Fire is no great respecter of rank or geography. Anyone might suddenly face the same quandary as the victims of the recent fire in Lake Tahoe: how to decide in an instant what objects of a lifetime to take and which to abandon to the flames. With some planning and forethought, however, the loss of critical documents, valuable possessions and treasured family heirlooms can be avoided.

The first and most important step is to develop a fire response plan and review it with family. Demetrius Wren, emergency planning coordinator with Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies, a division of the Oakland Fire Department, recommends developing a plan that will cover many contingencies.

“If you have five minutes to evacuate, what will you take? What if you have a few hours?” he said. Thinking through those “what-if” scenarios should be a part of the planning process.

Wren says that the first priority should be those items needed to re-establish your life following the fire.

“Documents like insurance policies, wills and bank information,” are critical, he says, as are photos of valuable household goods. “Those pictures can help as you start through the insurance claim process.”

Other vital documents include records of birth, marriage or divorce; vehicle titles; passports; and credit card numbers.

Documents should be kept in a sturdy box in a location easily accessed in the event of a quick departure. For added security, use fire-safe boxes, which will protect these vital files if the homeowner can’t retrieve them.

Choose a box with the highest fire rating you can afford; fire ratings are granted by Underwriter’s Laboratory based on the number of hours that the container can withstand flames without the interior overheating. Fire-safe boxes with a one-hour UL rating start at about $35 from local office-supply stores.

Another storage option is a stand-alone or professionally installed safe. These cost more, but will provide added security and space to secure valuable possessions.

“A four-hour, UL-rated safe starts at around $400,” said Greg Righetti at Divisadero Lock & Hardware in San Francisco, adding that the price can climb into the thousands as the fire rating increases.

Consider keeping digital copies of important computer data in the same fire-safe box, or in a safe deposit box somewhere else.

“Make a copy of your computer drive and send it to a friend or relative outside of your neighborhood,” Wren said. Another option is to load important files to a secure online backup service, like Box.net or Xdrive, where you can store up to 5GB of data online for free and access it from anywhere.

Beyond grabbing those important documents, CORE recommends that homeowners be prepared to spend three days out of their homes, for fire or any other type of emergency. This means having a “go bag” ready with any prescription medications and eyeglasses, as well as a change of clothing or footwear. A blanket or sleeping bag should be included for each family member, as well as a battery-powered radio that can be used to stay informed when you are not in your vehicle.

Every Bay Area household should also have non-perishable food and water stockpiled to last three days; figure 1 gallon of water per person, each day.

While it makes sense that securing key documents and files, medicine, food and water is the highest priority. But the saddest stories after fires are of missing baby pictures or wedding albums.

To prevent that type of heart-wrenching loss, consider making digital copies of important family photos and videos to store in your fireproof box. For items that are truly one-of-a-kind, like the bundle of love letters your parents exchanged during their courtship or an autographed baseball, make room in the fireproof box or in a safe deposit box.

The inconvenience of having these items stored away will pale in comparison to the peace of mind in knowing they are safe from fire, smoke or water damage.

If it’s not practical to store all your treasures in a fireproof box or elsewhere — who wants to visit their wedding ring at the safe deposit box? — then at the very least make a list of the most important items and periodically review their locations with family members. Knowing what to take and where they are will save time and the anguish of making last-minute decisions.

What about pets? Since most disaster-relief shelters prohibit pets, the San Francisco SPCA suggests researching ahead of time to find motels and hotels that will accept animals in an emergency.

They also recommend making sure that all pets wear identification tags or have microchip identification. The sad fact is that in the confusion that may occur with an oncoming fire, pets may be left behind.

Keep pictures of your pet, as well as a current record of size, weight and special markings, in your vital documents file. These photos and the identification tags can help you track down missing animals and establish your identity as the rightful owner.

Here are the vital documents to takeFrom Oakland Fire Department’s “CORE Home and Family Preparedness Manual”

– Personal identification

– Wills and insurance policies

– Bank account numbers

– Credit card numbers, as well as the card issuers’ phone numbers

– Inventory and photos of valuable household goods

– Social Security numbers

– Family photos

– Pictures of pets (to help locate if lost)

– Tax returns

– Vehicle titles

– Passports