Preparing for a Family Emergency Evacuation
Family Evacuation Kit
By Kimberly L. Keith

What to Include in the Family Evacuation Kit

Social Security and Identification Cards Order cards for every family member who doesn't have one and place the cards in your portfolio. You can print the application for a replacement Social Security card from the web site or complete an application at your local Social Security office. Applications must be accompanied by original identifying documents and mailed or turned in at your local office. When you order a card for your child, you must identify
yourself and the child. Some of the documents you will need are birth certificate, drivers license or ID card, and for a child, a school or medical record that verifies identity. They will mail your original documents back to you, but I think it's easier to take them all to the local office to make your application.

Birth Certificates Original birth certificates may be ordered from the health department in the state where you were born. Use this state health agency listing from FirstGov to find applications for U.S. vital records for each state. Obtain birth certificates for parents and children.

School Records The ideal school record for your kit is a copy of the page that lists the child's name, social security number, parents' names, and previous years' grades. Ask your child's school for a copy. You are entitled to this document, and it can be used to prove identity when applying for a replacement Social Security card. This document will give a new school the information they need to begin the enrollment process. At the very least, you will need to keep the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your child's school in the kit. Update this document in your kit every year and if your child changes school districts.

Medical Records Your kit is the ideal place to keep that important record of immunizations. You can find it easily when it's time to update your child's shots, and you will have it in case of emergency. It's not feasible to request copies of your child's ever-changing physician records; instead, take the time to complete your personal and family health records online at iHealthRecord.org. You can print an emergency card to keep in your kit; but more importantly, you have access to your family medical information from any computer. This is a free service, and every family should take advantage of it.

Photographs Drop one of your child's school pictures into the kit each year so you will have the most recent photo. This is important if your child is separated from you during an evacuation. Also put a family photo that shows you all together or a recent picture of parents. Take photos of your house from the outside and in each room. Photographic documentation of your possessions will help you include all of your losses on an insurance claim. Also, put in photos of your pets.

Legal and Financial Records You will want to store some original legal and financial records, such as wills, stock certificates, deeds, military, adoption, marriage, and divorce records in your safety-deposit box at your bank, not in your evacuation kit. It's a good idea to keep copies of these documents with you though, along with a record of where the originals are stored. Bank account numbers, proof of account ownership, and safety-deposit box keys should be in your kit.

Insurance Records Make a copy of the front page of all of your insurance policies - health, property, life, and others - and keep those in your evacuation kit. You will have all the contact information, policy numbers, and basic coverage information with you when you need it the most. Even if you have photos of your possessions in your kit, you should also include an inventory of your possessions that lists the model and serial numbers. The University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service offers this free Household and Personal Property Inventory Book for you to print.

Contact Information Take time now to record all of the names, addresses, and phone numbers that you might conceivably need and place the information in your evacuation kit. You can type a simple list in your word processor. Keep a copy on your computer desktop, so that you can edit it as needed. Then, print copies for your kits.

Other Documents In an article in USA Today, Sandra Block reports advice from a financial planner to include a copy of your transcripts, professional license, employment contracts, and resume in your evacuation kit. If you are displaced for a long period of time or lose your employment, this will make getting back to work much smoother. She also recommends including a copy of your property tax bill and mortgage documents to prove home ownership and a copy of your credit report to document bank and other account payments. Also, place a copy of your most recent tax teturn in your kit.


Recommendations from the Red Cross Visit the American Red Cross web site to learn an effective evacuation plan for your family. You might not have time to gather all of the items they suggest, but you should add these recommended items to your prepared evacuation kit - copies of prescriptions for medication and eyeglasses, maps for your potential routes, cash, and an extra checkbook and credit card.

Online Account Information If you don't have an online email account, you should get one to use when you can't access your email from home or work. Recent FEMA applicants learned this lesson because FEMA notifications were sent by email, and evacuees needed this information in shelters and motels. Also, make a list of the URLS and your User ID and password information for online bank accounts and your online health records, as well as other sites you will need to access away from your usual computer.