Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

While Hurricane Katrina was the dominant disaster story in the U.S. in 2005, fires, floods and other misfortunes occur frequently and force people to evacuate their homes at a moment's notice. Certainly, the first concern in an emergency should be personal safety. But consumers also should be ready to deal with the financial challenges of a disaster, such as having access to cash, banking services and personal identification they need to pay for supplies or temporary housing or to conduct day-to-day money matters. The Winter 2005/2006 FDIC Consumer News, published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, features a guide to preparing financially for disasters that includes practical tips on:

• Essential financial items and documents to have readily available in an emergency evacuation bag that is waterproof, easy to carry and kept in a secure place at home;
  
• Important items and documents to store away from home, perhaps in a safe deposit box or with loved ones far away (i.e., not in the same neighborhood or across town); and
  
• Why and how to be on guard against disaster-related financial scams, such as fraudulent charities that pocket donations intended to go to victims.
  

Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 8,854 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars –insured financial institutions fund its operations.

FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet at www.fdic.gov, by subscription electronically (go to www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html) and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). PR-17-2006