What Do You Save?

Time magazine has an interesting article about what people saved from the fires in California and the hurricane in New Orleans. Other than pictures and important papers, what did they save?

When we evacuated from Rita, that is what I took, the important papers, baby books, and photos. I had a lot more time than those in the fires and I honestly couldn't think of anything in my house that was important enough for me to take with me. It either says something wonderful about how I am not attached to material things or it says I have too much dang unnecessary stuff.

The Times article referred to a 2006 New Orleans-time Picayune story where people were asked their advice for future evacuations. This particular paragraph stood out to me because I hope that all those involved in disasters learn these important lessons: (emphasis mine)

People wrote about the lessons they will carry in their heads. The kind of advice that doesn't fit in a suitcase but will almost certainly matter more than Band-Aids: Learn how to text-message, do not let your kids watch TV news, and never depend on the government. And "as you drive away from a house and possessions you may never enjoy again," wrote a survivor, "remember the song about how you can't drag a U-Haul behind your hearse."