What to take? Evacuees must choose from a lifetime of memories<br><br>http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0627keepsakes27-ON.html<br><br>This is an interesting human interest article and raises some worthwhile issues that they don't really address. While we focus here usually on the gear that might save your life, in an evacuation situation there are also other considerations. There's your physical life, and then there's the rest that may be emotionally or fiscally critical. <br><br>While it would be a good exercise for all of us to develop a check list (with location) of stuff to grab in a short-notice evacuation, it is especially important for those who live in areas where it is more likely to occur (hurricanes, floods, fire danger, etc.) When the danger is very high, it may pay to have it packed and ready to go at a moment's notice, as close friends in Prescott have done with this year's extreme potential for wild fires.<br>

I heard of one suggestion. <br><br>Collect all the things you think you need in 15 minutes and put it all on your bed. Grab the four corners and make an oversized hobo bundle. <br><br>You might try this as an exercise with a timer. See what you choose and what you leave behind in that 15 minutes. <br><br>Review what you selected and what you left behind. Now start building your list.<br>Include the locations. Think about moving items to a single or limited number of locations for easy of finding in the future. Maybe you could identify a container and store most of those items in a single location with a listing. Maybe include a list of what is NOT in the container and where to find it.<br><br>I am sure that my wife and I would grab different things. We have 72 hour kits next to additional supplies to extend those kits. I would start there and then start getting the paperwork and memories. Most likely she would start with memories. first.<br><br>We have some antiques I really would miss. There are so beatiful and bring back memories of the hunt for that piece. Unfortunately they wouldn't fit in the vehicle so would have to be left behind. I keep looking for an excuse to buy a trailer. Maybe this is the reason.

Doug,<br><br><br><br>Thanks for the post. Even recent flooding in my neck of the woods didn't joggle me into this line of thought. Ironic huh? Wildfires there, flooding here. Me and mine weren't affected too badly; the lawn and driveway suffered, and we had to spend a night at a friends, but nothing major. <br><br>I already have all of the important documents in a luggable fire-rated safe, along with a pitifully small amount of rainy-day cash. I'm not worried about bills, the few people I owe money to, will resend them--they always do. I may get a another safe for the pictures. <br><br>As for my stuff, I only have four possessions that I couldn't bear to lose--two Bibles (of about 12--odd for a non-Christian, eh?), an ancient shotgun (of no money value, but tremendous sentimental value) once belonging to my great-grandfather, and a wooden knick-knack that defies description--a gift from my mother.<br><br>My wife has a truck load of sentimentals. I may put the question to her. The kids have stuff as well...getting them to chose is a nightmare scenario, worse even than getting my wife to chose.<br><br>I have half completed 72 hr kits. They'd go to, but hopefully, they'll be complete by the time we need them. Saying that in public is just tempting fate, isn't it?<br><br>There are other things also, I'm sure...have to think about it.<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

I had a friend who lived in the "optback" in California. At the begining of every fire season she would bring a box to my house (in town) for safe keeping. One of my safes is fire rated. She said that in the box were her only non-replacable posesions -- her family photographs.<br><br>When fire season was over, she would reclame her treasure.<br><br><br> larry<br><br>

<br><br>Well, I've been wrong before. I've spoken to my wife about what things she would want to take. I was wrong about the quantity, and her attitude. Her response was similar to mine. Four things. Two books (one, her Bible), and two possessions, her hope chest and a wooden knick-knick that defies description (not the same as mine). The hope chest bugged me until I realized that everything else (my stuff, the safe w/ documents and the pictures) could be packed into it, and in event of emergency, the whole thing scooped up and thrown in the truck. I'll need a sturdy helper or a dolly to move it loaded, but one or both are usually available.<br><br>Dealing with the kids was not the nightmare I thought it would be either. Neither have really attached to anything that isn't either easily replaceable (11yr old--Nintendo), or small enough to fit in a pocket (3yr old--stuffed animal). I've made a mental note to pack things into the chest that could entertain the kids for awhile that neither of them know about--books, toys, games, etc. More mileage out of new unfamiliar stuff than with stuff they've played with thousands of times. <br><br>This thread has also alerted me to the fact that most of my individual preparations are either still just plans or are half complete. My PSK is being held up because I'm shifting paradigms, the 72hr kits are still incomplete, and a few specialty items wanted for my "bug-in" kit are still not acquired... money for the most part, the fact that I live in the sticks accounts for the rest. Limited shopping options.<br><br>I'm in for a busy weekend.<br><br>Take care,<br><br>Andy

On a lighter note, when a hurricane threatened the East Coast a few years back, Hilton Head Island was forced to evacuate.<br><br> A dear friend asked her Mom what she took when she left.<br>"My family silver, the photo album, and all my high heel shoes," her Mom replied.<br> Puzzled look. "Why on earth take the high heel shoes?"<br><br> Her mother said, "Well, at MY age, I'm certainly not going to buy any more of them."<br><br> Sometimes it isn't just the necessities . . .

I became the guardian of all the old family movies. We converted from film to VHS a while back. Now Walgreens will convert to DVD for about $25 a cassette. <br><br>There are three childhoods on these films and pictures of loved ones long gone. On DVD they could all fit inside my jacket, otherwise the cases they are in would take up a fair amount of room. In my car kit I have a tiny photo album and an old toy of my son's. <br><br>This same thought process caused me to start keeping pictures in my wallet. Something I never did before because in a way I felt it was a little insulting sitting on your own loved ones.<br>