In many instances, what is in your wallet or purse will probably do the trick. However, to further safeguard your finances, identity, etc., in the event of a larger scale disaster, more information is necessary. Such organizations as FEMA, the Red Cross, and others suggest you keep the following list of information up to date and available for just such emergencies.

• Copies of all licenses you hold. Such things as:
  • Drivers License
  • Marriage License
  • Divorce Decrees (or any other legal documents that are in affect for you)
  • FCC Ham Radio License
  • ARES/ARRL/SATRN/Red Cross, etc. licenses
• Agent phone numbers, addresses, and policy numbers for all insurance policies you carry:
  • Life
  • Home
  • Auto
  • Fire
  • Flood
• Financial account numbers for all accounts you hold:
  • Savings accounts
  • Checking accounts
  • Mortgage accounts
  • Credit card accounts (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, etc.)
  • Gas card accounts (Shell, Phillips 66, Texaco, et.al.)
  • Safety deposit box number and location
• For you and all family members:
  • Current high resolution scans of your finger prints
  • Current high resolution picture
  • Information breakdown that contains:
    • Date of Birth
    • Social Security Number
    • Driver's License Number
    • Blood Type
    • Any distinguishing marks (photos helpful)
    • Any medical history information (diabetic, etc.)
    • Shot and Immunization Records
  • $20 cash and $10 in change (useful for pay phones, etc.)

"But I'd need a filing cabinet to haul all of that around!" I hear you exclaim. If you have a private storm shelter (that you keep locked), this is not a big deal. You can keep copies of all of the things listed above in a small box in your shelter.

Otherwise, if you are on a trip, or are out camping, you can still keep all of this information with you. All that is required is a USB Thumb Drive. If you have access to a computer, most, if not all of the items above can be scanned into electronic form by either yourself or a family friend. Put on any of the more respectable sized thumb drives, you can then keep all of this information on your key chain. As thumb drives do not have any moving parts, they are not as likely to fail. Additionally, there are some very inexpensive units now that are water proof.

In this day and age of identity theft, you would be ill advised to have all of the information above in "plain text" on your thumb drive. If you happen to loose this device, a VAST amount of personal information about you would be available to the finder of your USB thumb drive.
 
Instead use a program such as Password Safe or True Crypt to encrypt it. Make sure to leave medical emergency information in plain text (blood type, your name, contact information for next of kin, etc.).

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