Save copies of your vital documents

The impact of disasters like last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes is often longterm. As victims try to put their lives back in order, they frequently face the challenge of locating important documents that might have been lost or destroyed.

For many people, it takes a disaster to remind them of the importance of having copies of vital documents safely stored somewhere other than their homes.

A recent study commissioned by The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. franchise network disclosed that 58 percent of those surveyed said that natural disasters have made them more aware of this need.

Yet only 21 percent of respondents have started preparing for a natural disaster.

The UPS Store franchisee Steve Spicer recommends that people make copying important documents a yearly ritual.

"Tax time is the perfect time to inventory and copy necessary papers," he says. "We encourage customers to bring in important documents along with their tax returns. It just takes a few minutes and a few cents to duplicate each document."

The survey indicated that a vast majority of respondents - 71 percent - consider their birth certificate to be among the most important documents to copy. Other documents cited include financial records, such as wills, bank records and credit card information (34 percent); insurance information (31 percent); social security card and related information (29 percent); and the deed for their house (20 percent).

There are a number of resources available to help people decide which documents are the most critical to have available in case of a disaster. The Red Cross provides a list of important family documents at www.redcross. org.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency developed an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, designed to help people organize their personal information, available at www.ready.gov.

In addition to important identification and financial documents, people shouldn't overlook items that have sentimental value.

Often the loss of cherished items is more devastating than anything else. For that reason, one-of-a-kind items like cards, letters and photographs should be copied and saved along with legal documents.