Urban Fires – Docs for your "Go Bag"

Navigating Environmental Risks in Real Estate

Here is an important list – not exhaustive - of essential documents for a virtual or actual go bag for emergencies like the current urban fires in Los Angeles. I have seen suggestions/lists for actual go bags for clothes, tooth brushes, deodorant….. But

this is the list of stuff you probably would not think of taking when you gotta get out of Dodge in a hurry….

My One Suggestion – Make a Virtual Go Bag -- Before you need to.

Upload copies of essential documents to an online location – i.e., cloud – like Google Drive [100 gigabytes of storage for $1.99 a month] so that copies of your necessary documents will be there when you need them -- regardless of where you are physically.

AND then copy the documents to a flash drive as a physical backup you can carry. Even scan your passport and driver’s license if they are lost - you will have physical proof of their existence and their numbers - even if they may not pass muster with the authorities.

Also, if you can, walk through your house or apartment with your smart phone to document all possessions for your insurance carrier.

Tip: You may not have thought of it but you can charge your phone in your car - either through USB port or, for older cars, through an adapter in the cigarette lighter socket which was initially designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter, but became a de facto standard DC connector to supply electrical power for portable accessories used in an automobile ...

List of Documents to Upload:

1. Passports & Visas

2. Home insurance documents

3. Car insurance documents and registration

4. Health insurance documents/Medical Cards/ Medical Records

5. Glasses

6. Prescriptions

7. Employment records

8. Tax return [latest]

9. Driver’s licenses

10. Social Security Card

11. Back-up ID (student ID, military, DD214, VA. etc.)

12. Birth Certificates

13. Credit Cards

14. Medical history

15. Power of Attorney

16. Health Care Directive

17. Wills and Trust documentation

18. Important phone numbers

19. Titles/Deeds/etc.

20. Marriage License

21. At least one statement from all

a. financial accounts with account# and phone numbers

b. address, etc.

22. All military and VA records

23. Thumb drive with video of house and all contents

24. Vet records for your pets, including rabies and other information that would be needed for boarding […acknowledging the contribution from Bob Mayer]

….And then make a donation to an organization like Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles. OBKLA unites volunteers to cook and package meals for those facing hardship alongside incredible chefs. These meals are then provided to social service organizations for distribution and this past week have been feeding the entire Los Angeles community.

…any additions to this list would be welcomed.

Stay Safe

Any Questions? Please let me know…

Bart B. Sokolow, D.Env., P.E., President of Environmental Advisors, Inc., is a former UCLA Professor of Environmental Science & Engineering; he has advised various industries with respect to environmental matters for nearly 30 years. Dr. Sokolow also co-authored “How To Avoid Environmental Litigation - Second Edition”available on Amazon and the YouTube channel, The Environmental Minute -“Navigating the Environmental Risk in Real Estate.”