Free Emergency Binder Printable {PDF + Instructions}

Having a grab-and-go binder for emergency situations is smart and practical. 

It makes life easier and could be life-saving in the event of an emergency – at the very least it will allow you to immediately begin helping your family members.

This article will help you learn how to prepare a binder, and our free PDF download has all the sheets you need to manage your information.

Why Have an Emergency Documents Binder?

Unfortunately, emergencies happen.

And during those times, it is not always realistic to think you will remember every thing you need to in the event an emergency happens. Doctors numbers, policy numbers, all that data that you might need is probably scattered and will be stressful to find.

This binder will prevent that added stress from happening.

It will be the one thing that will bring you some peace of mind during a difficult time.

Making insurance claims, searching for missing loved ones (heaven forbid), staying in touch with family and friends, traveling around the country, and accessing your financial accounts are all simpler when you have completed a grab-and-go emergency binder.

You can read through the comments below to see many, many situations when people have used their binders on normal days as well as in an emergency.

Steps To Make An Emergency Binder

I’m going to walk you step-by-step through the process of building your own important document folder/emergency grab-and-go binder. 

I keep our binder in an area that is safe and well-hidden. I will address safety concerns about having an “in case of emergency binder” below – know you are wondering about it!

Step #1: Gather Documents

Gather your family’s important documents.

Keep these documents in various categories or sections in a 3-ring binder.  

For items/documents that do not fit well on a 3-ring binder, use a sheet protector or a more secure “pocket” to hold all the documents that pertain to that person/section.

You might consider creating the following sections:

  • Emergency Plan (include an evacuation plan, cash, maps, family photos, etc.)
  • Important Phone Numbers (use the forms linked to later in this post)
  • Family Identification (Birth cert. Ids, military records, social security, immunization, etc…have one sheet protector or pocket for each family member’s documents)
  • Testamentary Documents (wills, trusts, etc.)
  • Property Documents (deeds, titles, etc.)
  • Insurance Documents (policies and ID cards)
  • Tax Documents
  • Investment Documents
  • Legal Documents (marriage/divorce cert, prenups, child custody, utility bills, etc.)
  • First Aid (quick reference sheets, detailed medical info on family members, etc.)

Step #2: Evacuation Plan

If you are ever asked to evacuate, you likely won’t be thinking clearly. 

Take a moment now to plan out (and write down) what you will grab, where you will meet, and how you will communicate.

Place your evacuation plan at the beginning of your binder where you can quickly refer to it if needed.

I also strongly suggest adding a recent and past family photo here.  If you were to lose a child (during a natural disaster or otherwise) and then find him/her, you may have to prove that he /she belongs to you. 

This would be especially true if the child was injured / incoherent and unable to recognize you for any reason.  Having an older and more recent family photo is one very quick way to prove that this child does and has belonged to you for some time.

I use a 5×7 photo sheet protector for our two pictures and update them each time we have a new family picture taken.

I also keep cash, a map, and an extra set of credit cards in this section of my binder.

Step #3: Record Emergency Phone Numbers

There are likely many phone numbers that you may need in an emergency but don’t use regularly.  You don’t want to waste precious time trying to look these numbers up.

Take a moment to write down phone numbers that may be important to your family in an emergency such as poison control, a nurse line, your utility companies, etc.

You might also consider adding these numbers to your phone.  Yes, there are some emergencies where you won’t have access to your phone, but many times you will.

You might consider printing this page twice: once for your binder, and once to post in the pantry for babysitters, etc.

Step #4: Record Family and Friend’s Numbers

If you didn’t have access to your phone (or it had died and the power was out), how many phone numbers would you be able to remember? 

I wouldn’t know more than my own, my mom’s, and my husband’s phone numbers.

If you want to be able to communicate with family and friends during a power outage or other emergency, you should write their numbers down.

Once completed, add this form to the correct section of your binder.

Step # 5: Medical, Financial, Utility, and Insurance Numbers

Medical providers, financial and insurance accounts, and utility providers are all people we typically don’t contact that often.  Yet, in an emergency situation, we may need to do so quickly.

Write down phone numbers and other information for your medical providers, financial and insurance accounts, and utility providers.

This may be useful not only for you, but if someone else needs to access those accounts for you and/or if you need to access them away from home, but can’t remember passwords, account numbers, and phone numbers, etc.

Once completed add these forms to the correct sections of your binder.

Step # 6: Create ID Forms

Create a form with important information for each family member. 

Include things such as eye color, hair color, distinct markings, etc.  Be sure to also include a recent picture (and update it at least yearly for children).  Consider including fingerprints and DNA (a piece of hair will do).

I created my own ID forms back in 2011 after searching for a free one online and not finding one I liked.  If fact, that is how this whole post started.  

I keep a copy of these pages in my binder and a 2nd copy with me at all times.  If I were to ever lose my child, I’d want the police to have all their information as quickly as possible.  I’ve heard horror stories of mothers who can’t remember their children’s birth dates (read similar stories in the comments below), eye color, etc. b/c they are so distraught with worry. 

I don’t want that to happen to me.

Tips for Fingerprints:

  • Do not “roll” your finger when pressing it on the paper.  This can cause the ridges to distort.  Also, don’t use too much ink: practice on a piece of paper first!
  • From one of my great readers: “Doing your own fingerprints at home can sometimes be difficult because of smudging, etc. Another option is to get a fingerprint card taken at any local police station/sheriff’s office. It’s free at my local police station, but sometimes they charge a small fee. You just need to take a photo ID with you when you go.”

Behind each ID (in the same sheet protector/pocket), I keep that child’s birth certificate, shot record, social security form, etc.  My kids have no allergies or health concerns, but if they did, I would keep details on that info in this sleeve as well. 

If your child does have allergies, I suggest you read TJ’s Survival Kit Series advice (she is a reader here) about what she does for her kids.

You might consider printing ID forms for your binder and to keep with you (in the car / your purse etc) in busy places where a child may get lost.

Also, consider filling out an ID form for your pets.

Hazel, one of my readers who is a veterinarian recommends the AVMA’s (American Veterinary Medical Association) brochure on Animal Emergency Preparedness.  It is available for purchase as a brochure, but it is also available for FREE as a pdf download.

Once completed, add these forms to the correct section of your binder.

Step #7: Gather and Record Log-in Info

I keep a printed copy of all our log-in information for our various online accounts including banks, insurance, cell phone, school loans, Facebook, email, etc. I do not save this anywhere on my computer, but I do use Dashlane which is a secure cloud storage app.

This is probably one of the riskiest things to have in y our binder, so consider what is best for your family when choosing to include / not include this information.  You can find tips for creating secure passwords in one of my past articles.

If desired, add this form to your binder.  I hide mine between other less confidential forms so that only I know where it is at.

Step # 8: First Aid

Even if you have basic first aid training, you may not remember it in a disaster situation. Keeping shorthand notes of important first-aid procedures can help.

Make sure you also note any medications your family members are taking in case medical professionals need this information.

I like keeping this info right at the front of my binder so I can quickly access it if needed.

Step #9: Finish Assembling Your Binder

Add all the other documents you gathered in Step #1 to the appropriate sections of your binder.

Step #10: Download The Printable Emergency Forms

I know you likely don’t have time to create all these pages for your grab-and-go emergency binder, so I’ve made 18 forms available for you to print for free!

Also, the #1 question I have gotten about this post is “Where can I find a waterproof, fireproof safe that will fit 8×11 documents and is reasonably priced?”.   Well, I use SentrySafe H230.

Concerns About Document Safety & Security

I’ve had many, many people comment or send me emails about their concerns over this post and the security of placing all your important documents together. 

Some have been very kind, others, not so much. Remember, I am just trying to help! If you do not agree with my process, at least be nice when telling me.

Yes, having all this in one place creates a risk. 

But there is a risk of having one – and not having one. 

You have to weigh which risk is less scary to you. For me, I’ve decided the risk of not having it is scarier than the risks created by having it.  My binder is very well hidden and does not call attention to itself.

The risks of not having this folder and needing it are much more common (just read the comments below for times people wished they’d had one), and I feel “safer” having it. 

If you don’t, then, by all means, don’t make one! 

If you are nervous about the risk and some other ideas, read the comments below, there are lots of great ideas from my fabulous readers! 

Do You Have A Grab And Go Binder?

Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts about this folder. 

Do you have one?  Will you be updating it?  Will you not make one?  Why?

+ posts

Becky is a wildlife enthusiast and pet and livestock care expert with a diploma in canine nutrition. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Becky lends her expertise to Simple Family Preparedness through insightful info about pets, livestock, bee keeping, and the practicalities of homesteading.

986 thoughts on “Free Emergency Binder Printable {PDF + Instructions}”

  1. Hi Misty;
    Had to go through my safe, and find “important” documents to provide back up ID to renew my driver’s license.
    I reviewed everything we had stored there, organized a binder, and divided it up by family member, with ID docs in sleeves. Simple enough and helps find those docs faster rather than rooting through envelopes and stacks.
    Then decided I needed to develop this a bit more… and started mulling over what that would mean – A ICE Binder (Not the acronym I had in mind, but happy to find it)! So I brainstormed categories and created a list on my phone in a note-taking app, yesterday.
    Today, I decided to see what I could find on Pinterest in the way of detail and what other people suggested (if any) and found your blog. I am very grateful to you for going into details and creating useful forms which make this effort logical, complete and comprehensive. I was definitely going down the same path in my ideas, but so many blogs say things like “make a binder” without any further logical details. I can always make a cute binder with NO help. What I can’t do is instantly decide all that makes one useful, or more importantly, lifesaving. I know you did this a few years back, but here’s your ATAGIRL! for 2018.

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  2. My great-grandmother recently passed away and all of her accounts were frozen and bills need to be paid… it’s a mess! It’s really motivated me to start my own binder as well as encourage my parents and in-laws to begin making their own. Thank you for making this easier!
    Quick Question:
    Do you place your original documents in your binder? If you do two binders (one for yourself and one for your beneficiary/ safety deposit box) do you make copies for your second binder?

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  3. I had an elderly friend pass away in July. It was so hard to find all the important information. I’m now trying to get my paperwork all in a binder and just happened to find your helpful information today. thank you in advance.

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  4. I’ts been bugging me for a while that I need to get a binder together exactly like this. I keep putting it off because I know it’s going to take a lot of work but I recognize the importance of it, especially for my family. I found you on Pinterest. Thank you so much for getting me started and for the free printables. I really appreciate it.

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  5. I know that this is an post but back in 2009 when mom passed away, I had the task of finding all her documents. I created a similar binder with all her important papers including a list of all the people I had notified and name of contact and the date. I also made a list of all the bills I paid as they came in, as well as many copies of the death certificate (everyone wanted one!!!) My binder impressed many people including the bank and notary but mostly it was a very handy thing to have when they asked questions. Of course, they were divided in sections for easy access. When it came to selling the house, well, all the info on how much the taxes were, various bill amounts and most importantly when was the roof last done or the new furnace was put in!!! Luckily my mom kept all her receipts in a shoe box!!! but with electronic mail we no longer have very many receipts – at least an account number is very very useful!! When we moved I put all my important docs in a fireproof strongbox but have every intention of making copies for the binder. It’s a start!!!

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  6. I have a testimonial for you Misty. An elderly friend with no family told me she could not find valuable papers in her apartment, so I went to her home and a scraps of paper everywhere…in fact, a large trash bag full of paper. I took it home and went thru every scrap to mine for information which should be saved.

    Following your printables and suggestions I recorded every important datapoint I found, then shredded the original scraps. There were the usual keepers — birth certificate, passport, banking, insurance info, a list of her meds and her doctors, but I also found a paper that said she would like to be buried near her parents in New Jersey and the names of her Executor/caretaker in the event she was no longer able to care for herself. I prepared a red binder labeled I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency), filled it with her info separated by tabs labeled with categories (emergency numbers, banks, insurance, financial planner) and put it into her bookcase.

    One scary day, I got a call from a hospital that Ann had had a stroke and the only name she could remember was mine along with my phone number. They asked if I had any information for her medicine, insurance, finances etc. I was able to direct them to her apartment and that RED binder. They were very grateful and amazed that all the information was in one place and they were able to contact her “Executors”to arrange further care for Ann. She never returned to her apartment and was eventually housed in a senior home. When she passed away, the information for her burial wishes was in the book too and she has been returned to New Jersey to rest with her family.

    I am so thankful I had seen your website and was able to use the printables as a springboard to setup her book. Someone going into the apartment would probably have tossed all those scraps of paper thinking they were unnecessary. You made a difference for my friend, Ann, and to all those with whom I have shared your ideas. Thanks so much for sharing.

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    • THank you so very much for sharing this story Wendy! I am more grateful than you know. It is good to know that this has made a difference. Thank you.

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  7. I have to say, you are right, having everything in one spot does create danger. However, my husband and I came home from a baseball game to find our apartment had been in a fire. After fire crews sprayed our place with hoses, moved furniture and tore up walls, and knocked over shelving, being able to grab our box of information, soc. sec. cards, birth certificates, insurance information allowed us to get what we needed to get our insurance claims going, into a hotel in 1 day and made life so much easier. Putting it in a locked firebox may be a great idea for everyone.

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  8. Having trouble with the fillable forms I downloaded. I worked on one sheet and saved to computer with a new name for file and when I pulled it up next day it was just blank printable forms. Maybe its my software.

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    • If it was the fillable forms that you bought and paid for, just shoot me and email Theresa and we can hopefully figure out what went wrong together!

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  9. Love this idea. I had a similar binder that I created about my mother when she moved into a nursing home which she had planned for. She told me exactly where she wanted to be. When she died I had all the info I needed for her burial — wishes, her burial plan, social security info, my father’s burial location at the national cemetery where he was buried so she could join him, life insurance policies, and so on. It made the process so easy at a time of grief and dealing with family and friends. The funeral director was impressed. I’m turning 62 and in great health, I’m doing one for myself.

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  10. Hi!! I have been looking for something like this post and finally I found it!!! This is exactly what i need it. Now, I just need to translate it to spanish because i live at Mexico, but, really, thanks a lot for this helpful material!!! The ID form is actually great. I never thought that one was necessary, but, it really does! Again, thanks, thanks, thanks a lot.

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  11. This is excellent. I started my binder when I returned from Desert Storm in 1991 and it is always a work in progress. It is a comfortable feeling for both myself and my family knowing that what they may need is one place.

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  12. My father was a WWll military guy. When he died at 90, he had a book like this that I kept with me throughout the funeral planning and all the details after. It was my lifesaver and such a gift. I couldnt have done it all as easily without it. Such a blessing. Make one for yourself and let your executor know where you hide it.

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  13. Thanks for the printables! I am doing one for my BIL who is single and all the other ones out there are so “cutesy”. I am having trouble with the EMERGENCY NUMBERS/CONTACTS link, it g=keeps pulling up Evacuation Plan

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  14. Our school sends out a “photo Id card” every year with our child newest school photo, this goes right in to our binder. Also, I store some of the information in a Flash drive, and I have it on my keys. Never know when you will need it. We live in tornado ally! My binder could get blown to the next county

    On that note I also have a well trusted friend that we have exchanged binders with. Just another.. in case measure! If something happen to my husband and I, she will be taking our children.

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  15. Regarding saving your information online, what is the safety aspect of the sites you use? I’m way past the point of paranoid with the idea of doing that, which is ironic since I file taxes online.

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  16. I love this idea, but I wish I could download everything you have here and print it off myself. I cant afford 3 separate books. Thank you

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  17. I really like this idea. Both me and my husband are in the military and having everything close by and organized like this will be a huge help. I am curious if also including a section for any weapons such as rifles or pistols would be usefu, in case of theftl. You would need to have the photos of the weapons along with the stock numbers.

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    • I think that’s a great idea. I do not currently have any firearms or other weapons (unless you consider kitchen knives), but if I did, those items may fall into my home inventory category and not a separate category. I don’t know if states do this, but maybe consider looking into whether or not you can have your local police department, sheriff’s office, or state police agency will enter the ballistics information (such as them doing a test fire shot) into an appropriate database. It wouldn’t hurt to keep immaculate records regarding your firearms besides pictures and other identifiable information, you may want to include receipts from your purchase as well as the name of the person who sold it to you.

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  18. I have prepared two grab-n-go binders, one for important documents and the other containing important photos. I use plastic sleeve inserts for 3-ring binders, very simple & affordable.
    My photo binder contains one sleeve for each child’s school year photo and few other misc photos we’ve taken. My document binder is divided into the following sections: birth certificates, social security cards, marriage license and auto titles. These two binders are easy to add additional pages if/when needed…I love the security of having this prepared and organized.

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  19. I have two binders, one that I use often and one with all the original documents that are considered important. I will update to include the id kits. One thing that I added to mine was a pencil pouch. My children have received a bunch of savings bonds before the system was changed. I keep them in the binder because they can’t be replaced if lost.

    Reply

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