The next phase in your survival plan after a fire or disaster
Phase two of your disaster survival plan. In the last blog, I shared with you just what to do immediately after the fire or disaster you are facing. It was very basic needs to fill, like food, water, shelter and then miscellaneous things you can go out and scavenge for free. we discussed your transformation and how you are no longer a victim, but instead you are a survivor. Hopefully that “victim” mentality is starting to disappear and you are finding a new inner strength you never even knew you had inside. Yes it is a total tragedy what you went through, but you are alive and that is a great place to be.
The Cavalry isn’t coming
By now you can see you are on your own. You only have yourself, your family, and some of your community to depend on. Your survival is completely dependent upon your actions. There is no one to rescue you, and FEMA isn’t worth more than about $700. Pretty much a slap in the face, and that’s only if you weren’t insured. If you did have insurance, you are completely at the mercy of the company’s timetable, and if it’s a big disaster, hopefully they won’t go bankrupt. Insurance companies are playing a numbers game to make a profit, and too many losses will break the bank. Remember you are a survivor, and are the master of your own reality now. It’s a new world with new rules, and way less resources. Here is the new rule to live by: Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed at all, and all you have really is today, so you must make the best of what time you have. Keep scavenging and surviving.
Moving forward from here
Today let’s talk about the next phase in your survival plan after a fire or disaster. Here is how you will move forward. The first question to ask is: Was your disaster man made? If so, there are steps you absolutely must begin to take today to succeed. If it was a natural disaster and you were insured, then these steps will apply to you as well. You are going to need scrounge up, or purchase if possible, four specific items to progress. These items are:
- A calendar to mark events on
- Two 8×11 lined notebooks
- A few pocket notebooks.
- An ink pen to write with. I prefer this pen here because it will write anywhere in any condition you can also see it on our affiliates page
The Calendar
The calendar will be very useful to mark down important dates, events that have happened, and future events like “giveaways.” Write it all down on your calendar so you can plan your life during your recovery. It will help you stay organized and not miss important events, and also allow you to keep track of time, because after a disaster, time becomes sort of lost. It’s almost like being in some sort of time warp of shock. It’s a weird phenomena that lots of survivors experience.
The 8×11 lined notebooks
These two notebooks are for two things. One of them will serve as your journal to write any thoughts, feelings, and ideas down. Feel free to fully express your trials and tribulations, along with any insights you may have discovered on your road to recovery. Every disaster is different, and you will use this as a reference in the future. The second notebook is going to be your “master list” of items you have lost because of the disaster. It is your inventory notebook. You are going to write down every item you lost, as a list, with notes on each item, like where you acquired it, when, and it’s cost at the time. More on this later.
The little pocket notebook
Lastly you have the pocket notebook. You will go through a few of these, I’m sure. CARRY ONE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES, along with the Pen. Every time you remember something you lost, anything at all, write it down in your pocket notebook. At the end of each day, transfer what you wrote down in your pocket notebook to the big 8×11 inventory notebook. Be sure to check off that page in the pocket notebook so you don’t have duplicate entries. Each member of your family should have their own pocket notebook and pen, and at the end of the day one designated person should do the entries in the 8×11 inventory notebook.
Tracking your losses and progress
This is a very simple way to track your progress and compile a complete list of your losses. The little pocket notebook will soon become your best friend after awhile. Different items that you lost in the fire/disaster will pop up in your thoughts and memories, at different times of the day and night, and you will write them all down in your pocket notebooks. You will do this for about 6 months, and at the end of that time, you will be amazed at just how many things were lost in the disaster. Do not rely on FEMA, your insurance agent’s, or your attorney’s list or loss forms. They won’t hold nearly enough to include all yo have lost. Include everything from your car, clothes, jewelry, and CDs, all the way to your toothbrush, floss, and everything in between.
Here is a quick hint
Check all the places you purchased items at. You may have records with your credit card or bank ATM. eBay keeps a record of everything you bought for the last 10 years, so contact them for a list of your stuff you had. Amazon keeps a copy of every transaction you ever made with them forever, and the amount you paid for it along with quantity and date purchased. It will help you to price your loss and prove your claim as well. Print out these lists and keep them handy, They are all proof of what and when you purchased items and for how much.
Additional expenses
Another thing is to keep track of every little extra expense you incur until settlement time. Write down any fuel you buy and mileage, meals, lodging, clothes, toiletries, etc. This includes any gas and mileage you buy to drive to replace items you have lost, and even evacuation mileage. You will be amazed at how much this all adds up to.
A new lifestyle for now
These are all things you should be now doing on top of your regular scavenging to survive daily. You’re going to be busy at first, but at some point it will become like a habit. You will be thankful that you took these steps now. After our fire, I went into this mode, so when it finally time to turn in our lists of lost items and expenses to the attorney, we were way ahead of the game, and not in a last minute panic. Other people we know waited to the very end, and rushed through their list, and they admit they probably missed about 60% of their lost stuff. If you are in a lawsuit, or making an insurance claim, you will need all of this to make sure you get what is owed you. They will only pay what you list out. You must document and list all your losses.
Free advice and ramblings
I am not a lawyer, and all I can give you is what I have learned from my experiences. Your experiences may be completely different, but some things remain the same no matter what or where the disaster or fire is. My advice is DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING UNTIL YOUR ATTORNEY LOOKS IT OVER FOR YOU. There are a million people who are out to take advantage of you, including shyster lawyers, insurance adjusters, utility companies, and your own government. Be very careful. If it seems too easy, or looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Trust no one at this point except those in your inner circle. Your future and your families fate depend on your caution and diligence. Good luck and God bless you all.
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