Disasters happen very suddenly, sometimes with tragic consequences and a high degree of loss.

How to salvage your belongings after a disaster is a question that every person who has gone through a disaster has had to deal with. At times, what seemed so important prior to a disaster, does not really seem to matter as the focus shifts to the value of human lives, but being able to seek restitution for, or salvage your belongings is important.   

The article “5 Steps to Preparing and Filing Your Homeowners Insurance  Claim” offers some suggestions with respect to how to go about filing an insurance claim after a disaster.

Beyond filing insurance claims immediately, there is usually the possibility of being able to salvage some of your personal belongings. If you can recover them, it may help you and your family to regain a sense of composure and self worth. Everyone experiences shock, loss and grief regardless of the kind of disaster in an area and salvaging personal belongings can bring about emotional, mental and spiritual healing.

Personal belongings related to one’s identity are some of the most important things to try to salvage. Salvaging birth certificates, social insurance or social security cards, health cards, passports, marriage certificates and driver’s licenses, ensures those who have gone through a disaster proof of their personal identify. While these may be replaceable, doing so may take a long time.

Be aware that after a disaster, there may be those family members who no longer know who they are, depending upon the degree of trauma or physical disability they have suffered. Having personal identification may help in the healing process.   

Salvageable belongings may include cash, credit cards, debit cards, monetary or financial statements, etc. These will need to be stored in a safe place, as re-building one’s life after a disaster will require access to monetary sources.    

Salvaging documentation showing proof of previous property ownership, mortgage statements, vehicle ownership, insurance, etc. can help with respect to obtaining later reimbursement for loss in a disaster.

Academic records or degrees previously obtained are important in terms of salvageable items, as many children and even adults need their academic records to re-enter school, college or university. Resumes may be beneficial in terms of obtaining employment following a disaster. 

During a disaster, many family photographs and records, as well as furniture, treasures and heirlooms are often lost. Having photographs of belongings can prove beneficial in terms of locating and identifying them later. No one can under-estimate the value of personal belongings, especially when it comes to those of children.         

Salvaging whatever one can in terms of day-to-day life is also important. Family and personal life goes on after disasters, but it is not necessarily easy for anyone. Trying to live the life one is accustomed to or replacing everything one previously owned and lost in a disaster, can be very costly.  

While this only begins to touch the tip of the iceberg in terms of salvaging personal belongings after a disaster, as well as the trauma associated with it, being alert to one’s future needs is a vital part of survival. Human beings have an amazing degree of resilience but being able to salvage one’s belongings can work wonders in terms of the emotional impact of disasters.