Losing important personal documents during a disaster can make getting back on your feet far more difficult than it needs to be.
Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Jasper, many residents lost essential documents including driver licences, passports, bank cards and identification records. For some people, replacing these documents and proving their identity took up to eight months, creating additional stress at an already challenging time.
To help the community prepare for future emergencies, free Disaster Preparedness Document Safety Sessions will be held at Bloomfield Library this August.
The practical sessions will help residents create secure backup copies of their important personal documents, making them easier to access if the originals are ever lost or damaged.
Local Justices of the Peace (JPs), Community Recovery and Resilience Officers (CRRO) and library staff will be available to assist residents to certify, scan and securely save copies of important documents. Free USBs will be provided through CRRO funding, with support also available to upload documents to secure cloud storage or share copies with a trusted family member or friend.
Residents are encouraged to bring documents such as:
• Driver licence
• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Medicare card
• Bank cards or account information
• Insurance documents
• Centrelink or concession cards
• Property, vehicle or other important records
Those wishing to save documents to cloud storage should bring their email address details and, if possible, know the password to their preferred service, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud or Dropbox. Assistance will be available for anyone who needs help accessing or setting up an account.
While no one can predict when the next disaster will occur, taking a few simple steps now can make recovery much easier if important documents are ever lost or damaged.
Session details:
- Wednesday 12 August, Bloomfield Library
12.30pm – 3.00pm. To view this event CLICK HERE. - Saturday 29 August, Bloomfield Library
9.00am – 12.30pm. To view this event CLICK HERE.
The sessions are free to attend, and no bookings are required.
Protect your important documents today so they’re there when you need them most.