Lose your essential documents in the L.A. fires? Here’s how you can replace them

Among the many things that were burned in the Los Angeles County fires, for thousands, important documents with vital personal, medical and financial information were also destroyed.

Fire survivors go through a multitude of feelings including shock and grief while simultaneously recognizing the need to begin to mobilize toward rebuilding and restoring, said Jennifer Jorge, director of community social services for the Motion Picture and Television Fund.

So after a fire survivor is able to secure food and shelter, the first item on their checklist may be to apply for and replace important documents.

Applying for disaster relief, filing an insurance claim and, in some cases, picking up free essential items from local distribution centers requires some form of identification.

But the process can feel daunting.

“There’s so much information out there it’s actually a little bit of information overload, so at [the Motion Picture and Television Fund] what we’re really trying to do is provide practical assistance to help people start to narrow and focus on what they need to do,” Jorge said.

The advice Jorge and the social services team is sharing with their industry is practical for the general public as well.

Additional tips on how to prepare for the document recovery process are at the bottom of this article. But once you’re ready to start, here’s some tips on what you need and what to do:

The top 6 essential documents you need to recover

The top 6 essential documents you need to recover include:

1. Passport
2. Driver’s license or California Real ID (California residents must have a Real ID by May 7.)
3. If you’re a homeowner, the deed to your property
4. Birth certificates
5. Marriage certificate
6. Insurance documents (home or renter’s)

These documents can be replaced by reaching out to the respective agencies below:

1. The U.S. Department of State website. Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 legally allows the U.S. Department of State to waive passport application and file search fees for those who have a lost or damaged passport after certain eligible major disasters and the Los Angeles-area fires are an eligible major disaster.
2. You can request a replacement driver’s license or identification card by visiting a local Disaster Recovery Center where DMV officials can help you replace or reapply free of charge. You can also seek the same assistance at your nearby DMV office. A list of DMV locations and contact information is here; online appointments can be made here.
3. Los Angeles County residents directly impacted by fires can request property records at no cost to support their recovery efforts. You can call the county’s Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office at (800) 201-8999 and on the menu of options select “option 1,” followed by “option 2.” You can also email [email protected] for assistance. For more information visit the county department’s website.
4. Vital records (birth, death and marriage certificates) should be requested from the county recorder’s office in the county where the event occurred. The California Department of Public Health has an online list of county recorder offices and their contact information. Los Angeles County fire victims can request vital records at no cost by reaching out to the county’s Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office. Follow the same instructions for property records requests.
5. Call your insurance company and request a copy of your residential homeowner’s insurance policy, including your declarations page — the same guidance goes for renter’s insurance. The law requires your insurance company to provide this to you free of charge within 30 days of your request, according to the California Department of Insurance.

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It’s important to note, if you’re applying for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance, you only need the following information.

• Names of everyone living in your home at the time of the fires.
• Social Security number (you or your child’s).
• Household income.
• Contact information.
• Information of property damage/emergency needs.

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What address can I use for replacement documents if I lost my home?

If you can afford to, you can rent a P.O. box at your local post office. You can find, reserve and apply for a P.O. box online.

You’ll then take your completed application and two forms of identification to the post office, where your box is, to get your keys.

For those unable to use a P.O. box, finding a trusted friend or family member where you can have your replacement documentation delivered to is recommended.

You can also forward your mail to a temporary location by submitting an official mail-forwarding change-of-address order online or by filling out a PS Form 3575 (COA) available at any post office. Doing this process online requires verifying your identity by using a valid credit or debit card; you will be charged a $1.10 fee for the service.

Where you can find help and guidance for this process?

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, officials from FEMA and the Small Business Administration opened the city of Los Angeles’ Disaster Recovery Center on Tuesday at the UCLA Research Park, formerly known as the Westside Pavilion, and the Pasadena City College Community Education Center.

Officials from all state agencies including the DMV, Department of Social Services, Franchise Tax Board, Department of Insurance, State License Board, Public Health-Vital Records and more are there to help you navigate records replacement and other disaster-related assistance.

The location of the Disaster Recovery Centers are:

• UCLA Research Park West, 10850 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles 90064.
• Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena 91106.

Both centers are open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What is the realistic timeline of recovering these documents?

There isn’t a standard timeline for how long it can take to get each replaced document in the mail, Jorge said. But agencies are reportedly making it a priority to expedite those requests.

Check in with yourself, your mental health

As you begin recovering your necessary documents, this process starts with asking for help.

“It takes a great deal of courage to ask for help, but I think everybody has to really listen to themselves,” Jorge said. “Everybody is experiencing some degree of grief, of the home that they lost, of the school that their children went to, of the memories, of the tangible items, all of these things.”

If you need mental health support before you begin the recovery and rebuilding process, there are several ways to get in touch with a supportive network.

• Call the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health help line at (800) 854-7771 or text 741741 for support, resources and referrals.
• Many telehealth-based mental health platforms are offering free services to fire victims.
• Tap into your social circle and reach out to a trusted friend or family member that you can lean on.

“This is going to be a long road, and we don’t want anybody to be alone in this journey,” Jorge said.

There isn’t a right time to start this process; however, it’s better to start sooner rather than later, she said.