Too Close To Home:
A Lesson on Preparedness
In my mid-to-late 20s, I lived in Asheville, North Carolina, for six years. There, I met my husband and owned a business, and now my sister and nephews call Asheville home. Watching Asheville begin the recovery process after the devastation from Hurricane Helene has been incredibly tough.
My sister and her family are safe, but her home was destroyed. Two days after the storm, she returned to find her apartment fully submerged. The ceiling had collapsed, furniture blocked the doors, and searching for any important keepsakes was both dangerous and challenging.
The first thing she looked for was her water- and fire-proof emergency document folder. I am so proud of her for being prepared. She even had $400 in her emergency bag, which proved invaluable, as there was no way to buy gas or groceries without cash. Banks were closed, and ATMs were inoperable without power. For the first three days following the storm, every road out of Asheville was blocked, leaving everyone trapped. Thankfully, she had all her essential documents in her folder, including passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards, estate documents, and more.
With no power or water, no internet service, and spotty cell service, accessing online accounts was impossible for nearly a week. After her apartment was condemned, I began canceling her services, such as power and cable, from afar. Having a list of providers and account numbers would have made this process more efficient.
We also learned a valuable tip during this emergency: tape a note stating “No one is home” in a zip-lock bag to your front door. In hindsight, this would have saved time for the search and rescue teams who assisted her apartment community by boat.
Why am I sharing all of this? Clients of Argent Bridge Advisors have access to our secure Wealth Platform powered by eMoney, where you can upload documents to shared or private folders in the vault. “My Private Documents” is a private folder that only you can view, providing a secure place to store electronic statements, account information, and passwords.
If you don’t have access to your Wealth Platform, please contact Brett Colbert at brettcolbert@argentbridge.com for assistance.
Remember to take hard copies from your emergency folder if you need to evacuate. These should be stored in a waterproof and fireproof document organizer.
Here are some helpful links for comprehensive preparedness checklists:
Hurricane Helene was an extreme disaster that few predicted. I hope you can apply these lessons to your own preparedness.
As for Asheville, it may take some time, but I hope you have an opportunity to visit. The area relies heavily on tourism and truly is a beautiful place to experience, with great food, stunning scenery, rich history, shopping, and art.
Be safe!
Written By:
Private Wealth Advisor
