Peace of Mind in a Binder

(NewsUSA) - If you had just 10 minutes to evacuate your house before it was destroyed by a natural disaster, could you quickly gather all of your personal, financial, legal and health records to rebuild your life?

Many Americans couldn't, according to a recent survey by major insurance companies. In fact, only 38 percent of homeowners in hurricane-prone areas in Gulf and Atlantic coast communities stored important documents in a safe place. Only 37 percent made an inventory of their personal possessions.

Hurricane Katrina reinforced the importance of having a complete inventory of vital records to rapidly rebuild after a hurricane, fire, earthquake or flood. Likewise, families who suddenly encounter a health emergency or need to aid an elderly family member can also avoid hardship by having all of these documents in one place.

Sherie Dodsworth, founder of Securita, was inspired by the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina to create the Vital Records PortaVault, a specially designed binder for families to store all of their critical paperwork, including Social Security cards, passports and legal and health documents.

"After I saw victims of Hurricane Katrina being evacuated with nothing but the clothes on their backs, I realized how unprepared many people are when a disaster strikes," Dodsworth said.

The water-resistant PortaVault can store hundreds of documents, all of which may be organized via a series of pre-printed, color-coded labels included with the binder. For many families, simply arranging their myriad types of paperwork may seem like a daunting task, but PortaVault's labels such as "Health & Medical" and "Finance & Property" leave nothing to the imagination.

Also included are resources to help obtain records and information from public entities; a form to inventory household possessions; pre-printed health history cards; and an emergency planning guide.

And because it comes equipped with a handle and a shoulder strap, documents will be easy to transport or grab in the case of an emergency.

For more information, visit www.securitaonline.com or call 888-279-1956.