Securing Your Legacy and Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide
As fires continue to impact communities across Los Angeles and beyond, we are reminded of the importance of planning—not just for immediate safety but for the future as well. At the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM), we encourage our members and supporters to take steps to protect their families and ensure their legacies endure.
Emergency Preparation: Protecting Your Loved Ones
As fires remind us of the unpredictability of natural disasters, having an emergency plan is essential. Here are key steps to safeguard your family and home:
- Create an Emergency Kit – Include essentials such as water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, medications, and important documents.
- Have a Communication Plan – Ensure family members know how to reach each other and establish a meeting point.
- Prepare Your Home – Clear dry vegetation, create defensible space, and have an evacuation plan.
- Have Cash on Hand – Having a few hundred dollars would be helpful, when all of the ATMs are likely offline and grocery stores won’t accept credit cards.
- Digitize Important Documents – Store copies of vital records, insurance policies, and estate plans in a secure digital format.
- Stay Informed – Sign up for local emergency alerts and monitor evacuation orders.
- List of documents to pack if evacuated:
- Birth Certificates
- Passports/Visas
- Home insurance documents
- Car insurance documents and registration
- Health insurance documents/Medical Cards/Medical Records/glass prescriptions
- Employment records
- Tax returns
- Drivers licenses
- Social Security Card
- Back-up ID (student ID, military, DD214, VA, etc.)
- Credit Cards
- Medical history
- Power of attorney
- Wills
- Concealed carry license
- Important phone numbers
- Titles/Deeds/etc.
- Marriage License
- At least one statement from all financial accounts with account #, phone number, address, etc.
- All military and VA records
- Video of everything in house, all rooms, all drawers open, all closet contents, basement, garage, attic, including artwork
- Thumb drive with video of house and all contents
- Vet records for your pets, including rabies and other information; would be needed for boarding
Legacy Giving: A Gift for Future Generations
Legacy giving is a powerful way to support the causes that matter to you. By leaving a planned gift to SBMM, you ensure that our maritime history, environmental education, and community programs continue to thrive. Your gift can inspire young minds to explore the ocean, support our ongoing conservation efforts, and preserve maritime artifacts for future generations. We invite our SBMM members and the public to read this post and take proactive steps in estate planning and emergency preparedness. By planning ahead, you protect your family, support meaningful causes, and leave a lasting legacy. To learn more about legacy giving or planned giving at SBMM, please contact SBMM Executive Director Greg Gorga at (805) 456-8742 or by emailing ggorga@sbmm.org.
Stay safe, plan wisely, and help preserve our shared maritime history.