From another list. . . it's a little long, but read it anyway. It may save you some heartache later. kemis Are you and your Gen. Records prepared for a Disaster? After reading about the researcher's recent computer problem and the loss of her computerized info as well as the recent disaster in Florida, I would like to share an article with you that I wrote for the Augusta GA Gen. Society Newsletter. My home burned in January and there are a few things that you really need to know. If it could happen to us trust me it can happen to you. ARE YOU PREPARED FOR A DISASTER? QUESTIONS TO PONDER? Computer Files - When was the last time you backed up your files? Do you have a hard copy of everything saved on your computer? Where are the back-up and hard copies located? .near the computer .in your car.at a friend's house.in a commercial safe deposit box? Are your contacts recorded? Photos - Have you scanned copies of your irreplaceable, photos? Are your photo's framed behind glass or plastic? Are they matted or up against the viewing surface? Original documents and Resource Materials - Have you scanned or copied your original documents? Where are your originals filed? Are they in file folders, cardboard boxes, plastic boxes, file drawers, fireproof files, or a safe deposit box? Are your files all in one place or spread throughout your home? Essentially, are you prepared for a disaster and what would break you heart if you lost it? MY STORY: I am a safety-conscious person (almost to a fault), however, on 28 January 2004, due to a series of unusual events, our house burned. Treasured items including quilts, Haviland china, art, a collection of Gillette memorabilia, antiques, and a library of about 1500 books were lost to fire, heat, smoke, and water. The garage's 5/8" sheetrock walls and its fireproof steel door to the office, which was rated for 20 minutes and held for an hour and half, saved the office from fire. However, smoke and carbon got in everything. Four years of genealogy research (a drop in a bucket to those of you who have been at it for 20 or 30 years) was saved but not without a price. The documents smell atrocious, and those that are not covered with soot, will need to be photocopied. Our insurance will cover up to $1,000 to copy and replace. The photo's that didn't fuse to the glass or melt need to be scanned and placed in airtight containers as you can't get the smell out. Published family histories and other books will be replaced if still available. I was planning to back up all of my computer files in February - something I had never done. The computer monitors melted but a young man was able to recover data from the hard drives. Had a little luck there. What I learned is that my organization helped in some cases and didn't in others. Some items stored in plastic containers didn't fair well because the containers melted and everything fused together. In one particular closet, documents stored in cardboard containers didn't burn because wet clothes fell and covered them. Three such containers were dug out of a burned, wet and smelly pile almost 2 feet deep. The firemen had trouble extinguishing the fire in a 4-drawer file cabinet (not a fireproof model) which had holes in the back. Photo's (representing 35 years) were stored in a 6-board heart-pine chest (essentially..fat-lighter) and didn't do well except for the albums which were wedged so tight that only the edges burned. Water, of course, dampened every page. Videos, CD's, and 8mm film are toast. The firemen placed a huge tarp over the files that were stored on the bottom shelf of an antique English Pine table in the office. This act, and the fact that the boxes were later removed from the house in case the fire started up again, saved a photo album kept by my husband's grandmother. Her brother (my husband's great uncle) played football at Notre Dame Univ. in the early 1900s. He (Charles E. "Gus" DORAIS) threw the first forward pass in football to the infamous Knute ROCKNE. The album contains pictures and signed photo's of the team. In the dark, in the early morning hours, I was able to find this album (my organization helped) and we were able to cut the album apart and lay out the pages to dry. The images will require conservation measures because of their exposure to chemicals created during the fire but thankfully they didn't burn. A FEW SUGGESTIONS I end with a few suggestions: (1) TODAY (not tomorrow for that may be too late) PHOTOGRAPH EVERYTHING IN YOUR HOME. If you have access to a Video camera, describe the items in the view finder (how you obtained it, how much you paid for it, etc). (2) Make sure your insurance policy has "replacement" coverage. (3) Place your historic photo's and your photo and film inventory in a commercial safe deposit box. (4) Back up your files. Inventory your books and CD's. Create a log of contacts, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, web pages, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance policy numbers, etc. Place all in a safe deposit box and keep one of the keys in a separate location. And finally, be generous to any who suffer a disaster, the emotional and financial costs to start over are staggering. Our Modoc, SC neighbors, relatives, and friends from here and afar have been great. I have taken the time to share my story because, if it happened to us, it can happen to you. BE PREPARED, BE SAFE, AND HAPPY SEARCHING Nancy (TILGHMAN) Lindroth, author Modoc SC (McCormick County, part of Granville and Old Edgefield and Abbeville Districts, SC - 1700s) Researching McMILLAN, KERNS, (SD, WV, MD), HICKS AND BOONE (MD) TILGHMAN (MD, NJ), GRANT & EMERY (NJ) *Published in "Southern Echoes", June 2004, Augusta Genealogical Society (AGS), Augusta GA *Reprinted in "Imprints," Quarterly Publication of the Genealogical Society of Broward County, Inc, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Edition 23.3 - 2004 ) *As some people learn better visually, I also did a presentation for AGS, entitled "Show, Tell and Smell" - Melted photographs, burned quilts, and papers covered with carbon present a lasting image. Permission is requested to reprint elsewhere. (nlidnroth@wctel.net)