Document Package Phone Numbers

[Samson]

So I've been putting together my document package and I've gotten to the "phone numbers" section, I have family, friends, police, hospital, red cross, poison control,doctor,pharmacy, isurance company.  Am I missing anything?  Are there any other ideas for the document package other than what Jack suggests??  Thanks

[VeggieDog]

How about phone numbers for local companies you'll need after a storm?  A company that could come out and put a tarp on your damaged roof, fix a broken window, remove a fallen tree? 

[Samson]

duly noted. Forgot the tree service,  thanks.  Any other suggestions?

[bartsdad]

Utility companies, plumber, tow truck company, cab service,church,lawyer,work, the kids school, banks ,credit card companies, hotels in a bug out town,a number for weather information and travel conditions.

Probably wouldn't hurt to put these into your cell phone memory as well.

[bartsdad]

Glass company (home and auto), sewer service, HVAC contractor, Vet,

[Samson]

you guys are great thanks!!

[SteveandTracyinKY]

Insurance companies as well as ID numbers and info (Auto and Medical). Family doctors, dentist, eyes doctors, ect. I also included towing companies for my hometown and every town between me and my bug out location. Also included was information for the city I work in and the area we frequent to hike.

[Clybrad]

dont forget the number for 911!  lol

[bartsdad]

A place to board your pets if a bugout means not going some place pet friendly

[BerserkerPrime]

A place to board your pets if a bugout means not going some place pet friendly

This is huge!  Have a back up as well.  We got turned away at our usual spot when we had to leave short notice. 

[mbarnatl]

I always have another up to date phone book kept in my truck. But all of the important numbers are kept in my planner. But I keep the extra phone book just in case. Say a tornado went through your part of town and it hit the tree service you use on a regular basis. It will not do any good to call them since most of their equipement is damaged. Having a phone book available to call other tree services comes in handy and less stressfull.

[Samson]

I always have another up to date phone book kept in my truck. But all of the important numbers are kept in my planner. But I keep the extra phone book just in case. Say a tornado went through your part of town and it hit the tree service you use on a regular basis. It will not do any good to call them since most of their equipement is damaged. Having a phone book available to call other tree services comes in handy and less stressfull.

thats a great idea, why didnt i think of that. so simple. im definately going to do that. thanks

[Cedar]

Large and small animal vets. You will probably want one of each outside your district too.

Cedar

[BerserkerPrime]

I wrote the contact numbers to the plumbers that installed our system right on the air exchanger in the garage.  It's in the garage so who cares that it's written in marker. 

[doublehelix]

Be sure to get a AAA Travel Guide for your Region and the adjacent region.

It lists a lot of accommodations/restaurants/ etc. w/ location, ranking and phone numbers, plus pet friendly policies.

Good to have for Hurricane season bug outs.

[doublehelix]

7 digit emergency and non-emergency numbers for your local police, fire and ems.

9-1-1 doesn't always work in and after a disaster.

[crnaman]

A lot of things are done on-line and the number and complexity of user id's and passwords can be daunting to remember for 10 or 20 sites.  I would suggest having the account numbers, user id and passwords for these sites available with a simple code (ie. add two digits or letters to each number or letter written down).  For example: my credit union requires an access number, user id, and a password, and an telephone password.  My credit card/ insurance company requires User ID, Password, and online password.  Right there that's 7 vital bits of information not including the specific credit card or bank account numbers.  If you are hurt and you are the one who does the banking in the family, this information could be very important to help your wife do the necessary business of the family.  And all she needs is how to work the simple code. 

[DBI]

I use an ammo can to keep deeds, birth certificates, ss numbers, auto titles, phone numbers, Wills, a small compact survival guide, and compact (laminated) maps. All of these are in labeled legal size envelopes which fit perfectly in the ammo can. Grab and go for the most necessary documents. Multiple ammo cans can be stacked neatly in the trunk of your car or strapped to a 4-wheeler.

[idelphic]

I still wonder about writing a 'custom' PIM - Personal Information Manager that would handle all of the document needs..  One that would allow ease of printing a open (no OpSec) document book.  Some sort of database, but stand alone and easy to use.  I've looked at trying to mold Excel and Access,.. but both require either MS Office or Open Office to use. Something more portable and would fit on a thumb drive.

I use an ammo can to keep deeds, birth certificates, ss numbers, auto titles, phone numbers, Wills, a small compact survival guide, and compact (laminated) maps. All of these are in labeled legal size envelopes which fit perfectly in the ammo can. Grab and go for the most necessary documents. Multiple ammo cans can be stacked neatly in the trunk of your car or strapped to a 4-wheeler.

Ammo cans are great...but I can see a minor issue with them.  Some documents might be in a binder,.. difficult to get the binder into the can unless you have a larger can.  NTM - A ammo can screams 'Steal me'.  I would think some sort of document bag would be easier - not to mention softer to 'toss' into the car when you have to roll.

To each his own,..  I've got a firesafe that only has paper in it,..  how easy is that to grab,..

[pawonfire]

To make your documents more portable on a thumb drive, look at portableapps.com.  You can install a version of open office on your thumb drive, and then open your documents on any windows machine.  You don't need to be an administrator, or install anything, so it works great at someone else's house or a library.  It is a bit slower that a normally installed version, a downside for daily use.

[Truik]

I use an ammo can to keep deeds, birth certificates, ss numbers, auto titles, phone numbers, Wills, a small compact survival guide, and compact (laminated) maps. All of these are in labeled legal size envelopes which fit perfectly in the ammo can. Grab and go for the most necessary documents. Multiple ammo cans can be stacked neatly in the trunk of your car or strapped to a 4-wheeler.

Just want to mention that ammo cans are generally thought to be watertight but they aren't always. I would recommend taking the additional measure of sealing your items in a large ziploc freezer bag or other, similar seal-able container.

Rain, spills, even condensation can eventually ruin paper. Adding an air-tight plastic container inside an ammo can just helps add a little more protection, especially since these may be items that conceivably go for quite some time without being checked and the worst time to find out their integrity has been compromised is when you need them.

Just my two cents.

[Leonidas]

I always have another up to date phone book kept in my truck. But all of the important numbers are kept in my planner. But I keep the extra phone book just in case. Say a tornado went through your part of town and it hit the tree service you use on a regular basis. It will not do any good to call them since most of their equipment is damaged. Having a phone book available to call other tree services comes in handy and less stressful.

Great Idea, Thank you

I use an ammo can to keep deeds, birth certificates, ss numbers, auto titles, phone numbers, Wills, a small compact survival guide, and compact (laminated) maps. All of these are in labelled legal size envelopes which fit perfectly in the ammo can. Grab and go for the most necessary documents. Multiple ammo cans can be stacked neatly in the trunk of your car or strapped to a 4-wheeler.

Great Idea, Thank you

[bentwanderer]

I don't have 1/10th of all that info at any of my residences....

[Clybrad]

I am a firefighter going through rookie school. We are talking about hazardous materials today and I thought of a good one. Chemtrec. This is a company that you can call if you see an overturned truck that may have a hazordous material.  Of course all they will be able to tell you is how fast to run in certain situations. But if you care to know it is 1800-424-9300.

[PrepperJim]

I am a firefighter going through rookie school. We are talking about hazardous materials today and I thought of a good one. Chemtrec. This is a company that you can call if you see an overturned truck that may have a hazordous material.  Of course all they will be able to tell you is how fast to run in certain situations. But if you care to know it is 1800-424-9300.

The other thing is to carry an Emergency Response Guide. You can look up the UN number (the four digit number in the middle of the diamond) and see what the characteristics are. I believe there are also iPhone and Blackberry apps for that, but always have an ERG in my bag. Of course, I am "in the business" so it is an occupational thing. I've never had to use it, but you never know!

[bentwanderer]

A place to board your pets if a bugout means not going some place pet friendly

I must have missed something. Why if i am preparing to be prepared; would i be going to  BOL that may or may not be pet friendly? Of course unless it is a tsunami, flood or i know i cannot come back for more than a couple weeks i am not taking all my dogs anyway...

[Clybrad]

Prepperjim did you pay for it? We played with them today. I would love to have one of my own.

[Welshrats]

Prepperjim did you pay for it? We played with them today. I would love to have one of my own.

I found an electronic (PDF) version of the Emergency Response Guide at: http://www.ehso.com/ehsodot.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fphmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/erg2008_eng.pdf

[GeorgiaBoy]

One thing I was always taught was that if you store written phone numbers with full 10 digits..
To always write them instead of the traditional areacode+phone+number..... format..
to write them where if this was the number 555-333-1212 instead write it as...   333-555-1212 or 555-121-1333
Something that you would know automatically yet others would not. Same as with credit card numbers...  Swap the 1st and 3rd set ie. 1111 2222 3333 4444 to 3333 2222 1111 4444

Just simple things where you can keep things written down for safe keeping ...

If SHTF completely... and you have everything on a USB key... what are the odds that electronics are down/gone as well? aside from your EMP hardened military installations... how many people are prepared for an EMP in case they have to use a laptop to access their USB key?

Just something to think about?

[jcrev]

So I've been putting together my document package and I've gotten to the "phone numbers" section, I have family, friends, police, hospital, red cross, poison control,doctor,pharmacy, isurance company.  Am I missing anything?  Are there any other ideas for the document package other than what Jack suggests??  Thanks

Samson, thanks for posting this, I am just using your basic list there to start my phone list! I was looking on the main podcast site, and could not find a list of things that should go in the document package. Does anyone know if there was a show that went into the doc package in more depth, or if there's another thread that does or something?
Thanks