Weather and health-related natural disasters can cause widespread devastation and wreak financial havoc on families and communities. As the height of hurricane season approaches, First National Bank USA is advocating simple measures to help consumers with the recovery and rebuild process.

“While natural disasters are an unfortunate reality, they don’t have to lead to financial ruin,” said Emily Frost, Branch Manager of First National Bank USA. “As your trusted partner and ally, we can help you enact a plan to safeguard your finances and minimize the financial fallout so you can remain focused on the personal safety of you and your loves ones.”

First National Bank USA offers the following tips to help customers make a plan and regain their financial wherewithal following a natural disaster.

• Establish an emergency savings account for use in a crisis and keep a small amount of cash on hand in case you’re unable to access funds electronically and need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.
• Maintain available credit especially during hurricane season as you may not want to use all your liquid assets. Putting hotel rooms and other expenses on credit will allow availability to purchase other items, that may not offer terms, in the future. But remember to payoff any balances once the crisis situation is over.
• Gather all financial documents, including investment records, property deeds, insurance policies, tax information, wills, trusts and financial and medical powers of attorney.
• Make copies of personal documents— Driver’s licenses, passports, Social Security cards, birth certificates, adoptions, marriage and divorce papers, medical records, property deeds and titles.
• Print contact information for trustees, guardians, executors, medical as well as pharmaceutical providers, along with friends and family.
• Create an inventory of personal and household valuables and use photo or video documentation to help assess their value and determine replacement costs.
• All documentation and lists should be copied and stored in a bank safe-deposit box encased in plastic bags
  to prevent moisture.
• Create digital copies, which can serve as a supplement or backup to paper documents. Scanned or electronic documents can be uploaded with a secure online backup service
• Home emergency kits should include surplus cash, preferably small bills, a minimum of three-day supply of non-perishable food and water, a week worth of medication, first aid kit, manual can opener, battery powered radio, flashlights, and batteries.
• Prepare backup communications plans if both cellular and landline services falter.
• Contact your insurance agent or visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) https://www.fema.gov to determine if you need a flood insurance policy.

For more helpful financial preparedness tips, download the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit on the FEMA website to get started planning today.

“Community bankers are financial first responders as stewards of their community and can be a great resource to help you evaluate your financial preparedness and reestablish your financial footing in the aftermath of a natural or manmade disaster. Call on these stewards of your community before these unexpected, stressful events occur so they can create a plan to get you on the road to financial recovery.”

For more information on how First National Bank USA can assist with financial hurricane preparedness, visit us at www.fnbusa.com or contact us at (985) 653-7632.