[opaww]

Sense we cannot predict what type of SHTF will happen, one needs to be somewhat prepared for as much common types of SHTF. The need for food, water, medical needs, warmth, is necessary in almost all cases of SHTF.

In my youngest sons and my 72 hour bug out bag we got all the common things plus a few thing that are not common. Like a 2 Gig. flash drive sealed in a waterproof match container from wal-mart. I can hear it now, “why do you need a flash drive? There is not going to be any electricity or computers.

Well We are storing all important documents on them such as photo copies of Driver license, Birth certificate, SS card, DD-217’s, important medical history. Paper copies will take up weight and space and possibly get damaged.

A 2 gig flash drive costs about $10 U.S. at Wal-Mart, and the waterproof match container is about $2.50. Everything is on it including back ups of my sons on mine and back ups of mine on his. We have also put my vehicle registration and title on it along with all weapons serial numbers, makes, models, and cal. Because once a SHTF is over things will get somewhat back to normal and you may not have any of the documents because they were destroyed in a tornado or flood. This way you got something to go by.

[armoredman]

That is an excellent idea.

[CA357]

Give that man a cigar! Great idea.

[WDbeej]

That is a great idea which I would like to piggy back.

You always hear that after a disaster the non-living things folks lament losing the most are photos and other family momentos. Scan and store your family photos on these flash drives also. Take digital photographs of as much of your possesions as you can and store them on the flash drive for insurance/replacement purposes.

I walk around the house about yearly and scan each room with a video camera. I then store the tape/disc in a fire-proof safe. God forbid the worst were to happen, I would have video proof of nearly everything for the insurance agent. I don't know that I would be able to recall most everything I owned after a disaster, with the tapes/discs I would stand a better chance of replacing that which I worked hard to get.

[opaww]

I like the flash drive because it can store a lot of stuff, it is very small, and weighs almost nothing. Once power get back up after any SHTF there will be computers and most if not every computer has a USB connection so you can view and print any documents you need.

[IGETEVEN]

Excellent idea there opaww, TU. Although I do store a lot of what you mentioned on a flash drive now, I never thought about adding one to my BOB's.

Let's just hope that the world "situation" never gets to this point, because if a global or regional technically enhanced NEMP was ever used, well......

YouTube - ‪My name is Plissken‬‏

YouTube - ‪My name is Plissken‬‏

[orangello]

I like flash memory, but i like DVD or CD backups too. If you could find something to read them with, they will supposedly work after an EMP, supposedly. Of course, cel phones can read some types of flash memory & might be more available.

[cpttango30]

I keep three with me.

1. 16gb for personal stuff.
2. 8gb for work stuff.
3. 2 gb with protable apps like portable malwarebyts, revo uninstaller, and a few others as well.

These are programs that can run from a flash drive on any machine. I keep them on a flash drive for work and for home use. That way I am not using up HDD space for 5 different antimalware programs.

[dnthmn2004]

I loaded everything important from both mine and my wife's computer on a 16gb flash drive and it sits, along with birth certificates and social security cards, in a water/fire/media proof safe. I bought two of the safes on black friday last year for $25 a piece. One for what I just described and one for my handguns.

[Rmason2008]

The most important thing to do would be to password protect everything as well. That way if you lost the flash drive or if it was stolen, it would be difficult for someone else to access the documents.