Important Documents!

[tackdriver47371]

I was talking with a friend and he suggested that in the event of SHTF and bugout is required, I may want my most important documents buried (Proof of ownership, titles, deeds, etc.) . This way if you return home and find squatters there you couldn't have lost them in the chaos but have proof in the future. Obviously a certain level of care would be needed in preservation of these.

Thoughts and Ideas Please

 

[Scutter01]

Seems like titles and deeds and what-not sure be stored safely anyway. In a safe deposit box away from the house, for example. Have several copies in several locations. If there's a fire and the house burns, you're going to lose it all.

 

[eldirector]

Why not take them with you?

A couple of projects I'm chipping away at:
1) getting important docs and such into a portable file case in the safe. Time allowing, it can be grabbed on the way out of the door.
2) scanning all of the above docs, and keeping digital copies in a few locations (as securely as possible). Right now, I just have scans in an encrypted folder in the PC. I plan on putting copies on an encrypted USB drive - one in my in-laws safe, and another in my BOB.

I got some great ideas from here:
HURRICANE KATRINA

 

[tackdriver47371]

My big fear would be to lose them in a scuffle or incase of being robbed of your gear. As far as safe deposit boxes go, I am no fan of anyone other than me being responsible for something extremely important. Copies would be a very good idea though, especially soft.

 

[canamscott]

Having duplicates of important documents is a great idea. Couple months ago I spoke with a helper after hurricane Katrina, he was on site for six months. He reported that the places that generate important documents also lost everything so you could not just copy a new birth certificate. He suggested copies of drivers license, deeds and titles, insurance proof, ssn, custody documentation. I have also made copies of my LTCH, marriage license, birth certificates, voter's registration.

 

[CountryBoy19]

The best way to do this is to get several small thumb-drives and install true-crypt on them. Now, all your files in there thumb-drive are encrypted and protected by your password.

Now, scan EVERY important document you can think of including family photos that mean a lot to you etc. Deeds, medical records, titles, insurance policy, birth certificates, LTCH, EVERYTHING that takes a great deal of effort to replace, has significant importance, or proves your identity. Now, put it all on those thumb drives and store them in various locations. Keep one in your car, one at your parents house etc. Some people even keep one on their person so if they lose EVERYTHING including their house, car, and parents house (think major natural disaster) they still have proof of identity, ownership and insurance etc.

 

[tackdriver47371]

That's a good idea on encryption. I was thinking more on the soft copy side of things. I will need to do a bit of research on the encryption as I barely operate my iphone and pc successfully.

 

[PistolBob]

If you encrypt your docs on a thumb drive or hard disk someplace in the cloud...just make sure someone besides you knows the passwords. If you're dead, encrypted data doesn't do anyone any good.

 

[CountryBoy19]

That's a good idea on encryption. I was thinking more on the soft copy side of things. I will need to do a bit of research on the encryption as I barely operate my iphone and pc successfully.

There used to be a HUGE thread on this on arfcom. I'm not sure if it's still there, but I copied all of the text of the thread and stored at one time. I just have to figure out which hard-drive it is on...

 

[eldirector]

There used to be a HUGE thread on this on arfcom. I'm not sure if it's still there, but I copied all of the text of the thread and stored at one time. I just have to figure out which hard-drive it is on...

Funny.... looking for a file about secure digital storage, and you don't know which drive it is on.

That's classic.

 

[Jackson]

https://www.ironkey.com/

 

[CountryBoy19]

Funny.... looking for a file about secure digital storage, and you don't know which drive it is on.

That's classic.

Yeah, it is funny actually... I have compiled so many "hey, that's useful, I'm going to keep a copy of it" type of things that I ran out of space on my small drive and got bigger one...

 

[CountryBoy19]

Bump to add that I don't need to locate my archive, I found 2 of the good threads on arfcom survival section.

Building a Secure Thumb Drive? - Page 1 - AR15.COM
USB drive in BOB / GHB??? - AR15.COM

I HIGHLY recommend you read them to, at minimum, understand the capabilities this can have. I learned a lot from those threads.