Advise for those who have lost everything in a fire, flood, tornado

[hatredisnotavalue]

My heart so goes out to those suffering loss in these horrible catastrophes, especially the elderly and those with kids. Does anyone have any practical advise for those how are now homeless which they can pass on to friends and relatives?
I know the first thing to do is to call your insurance agent, have them cut you a check and find a place to live. Also get a cell phone because you can have the phone company forward old number calls to your new phone. The post office will do the same with your mail if you contact them. Also cancel your power account, as they will send you a bill if you don't cancel it.
The credit card people tend to be understanding, if you ask for a couple of months to get your act together. If you are on medication, call you doctor and he will refill your prescriptions. Also the DVM will give you a new license if you show up and explain what happened and have your social security number handy.

[Gemini Cat]

1. No advice for what to do for adults on the practical matters,

but as far as the children are concerned, it's very important to remember they are still children. Children whose entire lives have been turned upside down. The kids have lost everything and they don't understand why. So it's very important to give them something like a toy to hold on to, to make something out of this disaster normal.
I know that doesn't sound like much, but to a child who has gone through a disaster, it can mean everything. I speak from personal experience on this.

[hatredisnotavalue]

2. I also speak from experience.

The day our house burned down, we went to WalMart and bought my 10 yo daughter a softball glove which she uesd to play in a game that night. The key is to maintain normalcy.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

3. Kids pick up on

the attitudes of the adults around them. If they see Mom and Dad behaving in a rational and in-control way, and see them taking steps to put things on the right track, they'll feel much better. I speak from some experience, having had the panicked and out-of-control type parents myself.