September is National Preparedness Month. This year the theme is “A Lasting Legacy: The life you’ve built is worth protecting." We have all heard the messaging to “build a kit and make a plan.” Being prepared to “weather the storm” is critical, but it is also important to think about your legacy and how it can disappear in an instant when severe weather, flooding, or tornadoes strike. In my twenty-five years of helping people recover from and mitigate disasters, it is not possessions that people regret losing the most, it is memories – wedding photos, grandmother’s famous cake recipe, or a child’s drawing. These are the irreplaceable things people lose in a disaster. Yes, National Preparedness Month is a time to check on our emergency plans and stock-up on supplies. But this year, also take a minute to think about what part of your legacy is especially dear to you and put safeguards in place to protect it.
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