If you had to leave your house right now, and you didn't know when or if you would return, what would you bring with you?
Amelia Hoppe has thought about this question a lot. She's the executive director and co-founder of Emergency Legal Responders, a nonprofit that helps people navigate legal and financial challenges after disasters.
The aftermath of a disaster is a legal minefield, according to Hoppe. Survivors may struggle to get government aid or insurance claims approved if they've lost important paperwork, like identification cards and proof of residence.
Hoppe said that getting together physical and secure digital copies of important documents is an essential but often overlooked part of disaster preparation.
"In the throes of a disaster, the last thing you want to be thinking about is, 'Where is my lease?'" she said.
Emergency Legal Responders has compiled a checklist of personal documents everyone should put in their go-bag. HPR spoke with Hoppe and other experts about what steps people can take today to prepare themselves before disaster strikes.
1. Personal identification
Identification is crucial for filing for FEMA claims and other forms of aid.
"You really are going to need to be able to prove who you are," Hoppe said.
Personal identification could include a driver's license, a state ID, a passport, a green card, naturalization papers, visas, and birth certificates. Put a few photos or copies of IDs in your evacuation kit.
If your license or passport has expired, make an appointment to renew it.
"It's very difficult to do that after a disaster, because services are down," Hoppe said.
2. Proof of residence
Documents that establish proof of residence, like mortgage statements or lease agreements, are often necessary for aid applications.
You may also need proof of residence to be granted access to your home if it is in an area authorities have closed after a disaster.
Eliza McDermott, the deputy director for Emergency Legal Responders, said this documentation can get tricky, especially for renters.
Often, renters are not formally on the lease. If that's true in your case, McDermott suggested including a couple of pieces of mail, like utility bills, that demonstrate proof of address in your emergency kit.
A short written note from your landlord confirming your residence is also helpful.
3. Documenting your home and belongings
For FEMA claims, the burden of proof is on the survivor to demonstrate that a disaster has damaged or destroyed their home and belongings.
Take photos and videos that document what your home looked like and contained before the disaster. McDermott recommends timestamping the videos and keeping them to 10 seconds, so they can easily be uploaded or sent to contacts.
You'll want to capture the main structural elements of your home — roofs, walls, floors, windows — and then document items you would want to replace if lost in a disaster.
That could include technology like laptops, medications, and even food in your fridge and pantry. Save receipts or create a list of the value of your items to help expedite the reimbursement process.
Hoppe said this step is important for renters too.
"You should document as much as you can, because you don't know what your landlord has documented. You don't know what's on the books," she said.
That documentation may become important if disputes arise over repairs within the home after a disaster.
4. Pets need paperwork too
If your pet runs away or gets separated from you during a disaster and is later brought to a shelter or vet clinic, you will need to demonstrate proof of ownership to reclaim your furry companion
Brandy Shimabukuro with the Hawaiian Humane Society said simply identifying your pet won’t be sufficient.
"We want to make sure that that's backed up with documentation to ensure they're going to the right family," she said.
Proof of ownership can be demonstrated by presenting your pet’s microchip number, vet records, or even photos of you with your pet. Shimabukuro advises putting physical copies of pet records and photos of your pet in your go-kit.
"Having something that says this pet has a history with your family is so important," she said.
5. Copies, copies, and more copies
When it comes to disaster prep, redundancy is key.
Keep physical copies of important documents in a weatherproof folder in your go-bag in case internet service is down or the power is out during a disaster.
Upload digital copies of those documents to a secure drive or cloud system with privacy protections, and make sure your family members or trusted contacts know how to access them.
Hoppe said don't assume any place you keep your documents is immune to disaster.
"I met someone in Maui when I was working and they [had] lost everything," she said. "They felt pretty confident because at least all their bookkeeping for their business was in Asheville, North Carolina."
A couple of months later, Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina and destroyed those records as well.
"With the increasing numbers of disasters that are happening to us, it's really important to diversify where you keep that information," Hoppe said.
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