The short answer

Create a concise household summary, secure copies of essential records, and protected digital backups. Keep only the information needed for immediate decisions in a portable pouch. Store full records more securely and keep a second backup away from the home.

Gather by the decision each record supports

FEMA’s Emergency Financial First Aid Kit organizes records across identity, household, medical, financial, legal, property, and insurance needs. Start with the records you may need to replace identification, obtain medicine, contact an insurer, prove residence or ownership, access accounts, or care for a child or dependent.

  • Photo identification, passports, birth or adoption records
  • Insurance cards, policy numbers, and claim contacts
  • Medication list, prescriptions, allergies, providers, and care plans
  • Housing records, vehicle records, and utility account contacts
  • Bank, loan, and credit contacts without unnecessary login secrets
  • Wills, powers of attorney, custody, guardianship, and advance directives
  • Pet identification, registration, vaccination, and veterinary contacts

01

Use three storage layers

Carry layer: A waterproof pouch with contact cards, copies of IDs, insurance and medical summaries, essential legal authority, and a small amount of cash.

Home layer: Full paper originals or certified copies in a secure, fire- and water-resistant location appropriate to the record.

Backup layer: Encrypted digital copies or a second physical set stored away from the home with a trusted arrangement. CFPB recommends keeping originals and copies in separate places and protecting online or portable-drive copies with strong access controls.

02

Minimize what a lost pouch reveals

Do not place passwords, PINs, full payment-card details, or unnecessary Social Security numbers in a grab bag. Use a password manager or another secure system for account access. Encrypt portable digital storage and enable strong authentication on cloud accounts. Tell a trusted household member how to access records if you cannot.

Privacy is part of readiness: A portable set should help recovery without becoming an identity-theft kit if it is lost.

03

Make a simple property record

Photograph each room, valuable items, serial numbers, and important improvements. Save receipts or appraisals where material. Review insurance limits, exclusions, deductibles, and contact procedures before an event. A household inventory can support claims, but it does not replace the policy or insurer requirements.

04

Review after life changes and once a year

Update the set after a move, marriage, separation, birth, death, new pet, insurance change, major purchase, new diagnosis, or medication change. Confirm that emergency contacts still answer and that another capable adult can find the system.

Document checklist

Enough to act, protected enough to trust.

Primary sources

How Tardigrade Supply researches guidance