How to Make an Emergency Grab and Go Binder

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If you ever need to evacuate your home, you’ll want to grab all your important documents on the way out. The easiest way to do this is to store copies of everything in an emergency grab and go binder.

You never know when a wildfire, tornado, hurricane, or some other disaster will require you to evacuate. Preparing an emergency grab and go binder ahead of time ensures you’ll have access to insurance information, medical records, car titles, and other important documents, no matter where you go.

Getting Started

Compiling an emergency grab and go binder is a big task! Prepare yourself mentally for the work before you start so you can see it through to the end…

You’ll be searching for important documents, scanning/copying everything, and then organizing the documents in your binder. This could take several hours.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking…

Putting all your important documents in one place could become a liability if it gets into the wrong hands. This is a valid concern, but we think the benefits of having an emergency grab and go binder outweigh the risks. Just be sure to store it in a safe place!

Here are just a few of the benefits:

• Instant access to insurance claim information
• Contact information for family and friends in one place
• Ability to prove your identity or access financial accounts
• Medical information at your fingertips to relay to doctors
• Most importantly: You can get your life back together quickly after a disaster

Is a Digital Copy Sufficient?

Your emergency binder can get heavy, but a physical copy is best!

We do think you should also store a digital copy of your important documents in case your physical copy gets lost or you can’t grab it when you evacuate. Ideally, it should be stored in some cloud storage that you can access wherever there is internet. You could also store your important documents on a flash drive in your emergency kits or in a bank safe.

The reason why you need a physical copy of all your important documents is because you might not have access to the internet or power after a disaster. Additionally, some government-issued documents are not valid in digital form.

Note: Do not laminate social security cards, birth certificates, or any government-issued document. Modifying them in any way could make them invalid.

What to Put in Your Emergency Grab and Go Binder

Now that you know why you need an emergency grab and go binder, let’s discuss everything you should put in it.

Here is a list of documents to gather/copy:

• Driver’s License
• Passport
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Credit Cards (Copy of the front and back)
• Health Insurance Card
• ID Cards from Work, School, etc.
• Vehicle Titles
• Property Deeds (Or Loan Docs)
• Immunization Records
• Homeowners’ Insurance Policy
• Life Insurance Policy
• Car Insurance Policies and Registration (Boat, RV, Auto, etc.)
• School Transcripts/Diplomas
• Power of Attorney Documents
• Living Will/Trust Papers
• Deed to Burial Plots
• Military Service Records
• Immigration Records
• Adoption/Foster Care Records
• Recent Income Tax Records

If you find that you’re missing any of these documents, now is a great time to get replacements from the appropriate organizations.

Additional Information to include in your Grab and Go Binder:

• Bank Account Information
• Passwords/Login Info for Accounts
• Medical Information
• List of Emergency Contacts
• List of Important Phone Numbers (school, work, utilities, doctors, etc.)
• Family Disaster Plans
• Family History Records
• Family Photos (Pets too)
• Church Records
• Extra Sets of Keys
• Home Inventory (Written and in Video)
• …anything else you don’t want to lose

How to Organize Your Emergency Grab and Go Binder

There’s no one-right-way to organize your emergency binder, but we suggest you use tabbed dividers and organize by categories.

What You’ll Need:

• 2” or 3” Binder (Zippered option is good.)
• Sheet Protectors
• Tabbed Dividers
• Binder Pocket Inserts

Here are some categories you could use:

As you gather and copy your important documents, put them behind the appropriate tabs. We suggest using sheet protectors and binder pockets.

Once your emergency grab and go binder is assembled, you’ll need to update it once or twice a year. This task doesn’t take nearly as long as the initial setup… Simply remove any outdated docs and replace them with new ones.

Quick Tip: Put a tag on your 72-hour kit to remind you to also grab your binder in an emergency.

Need More Help with Your Emergency Grab and Go Binder?

We’re currently creating some printable worksheets to help you get your emergency grab and go binder put together. If you want to be notified when they’re finished, subscribe below. We’ll also send you other useful emergency preparedness information!