Keeping Your Documents Safe During Hurricane Season
Suffolk County Clerk Judith A. Pascale has issued the following document safety tips for this hurricane season.
“The devastation wrought by recent hurricane seasons serves as a strong reminder that hurricane preparedness needs to be pushed to the forefront of everyone’s agenda. Experts agree that storing key documents in safe locations provides the maximum level of security and convenience in the aftermath of a catastrophe like a major hurricane,” commented Suffolk County Clerk Judith A. Pascale.
Safety deposit boxes, which are available for rent from many banks, can provide piece of mind. For on-site home storage, consider a fireproof lockable box. Storing key documents in a compact location will allow instant access to the basic information one needs to begin recovering from a disaster. These boxes can be purchased from household goods and office supply stores in a variety of sizes.
“While safes and safety deposit boxes are among the best places to store your most sensitive documents, I want to assure all Suffolk County residents that a permanent copy of all documents recorded in our Office, i.e. deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney, etc., are readily available, should an unfortunate disaster strike,” commented Pascale.
By digitally scanning and retaining land records, digital surrogates are utilized in place of the actual hard copies to preserve land transactions while also providing for an efficient and effective safeguard of the land records of Suffolk County.
“Although traditional paper mediums are increasingly susceptible to disaster, we utilize state-of-the-art computer storage systems to hold digital images of these paper mediums to provide an added layer of security in the protection of the public record,” concluded Pascale.
Obtaining a Veteran’s Peddler’s Permit
As we get set to honor our veterans on Veterans Day, Suffolk County Clerk Judith A. Pascale would like to remind all honorably discharged members of the United States Armed Forces, and their surviving spouses, that they are eligible to apply for a Veteran’s Peddler License. This license provides Veterans with the right to sell goods, wares and merchandise.
“Service to our Country is amongst the highest of callings in a person’s life,” commented Suffolk County Clerk Judith A. Pascale. “I am proud to offer this service to our Veterans and sincerely thank them for their service.”
To apply, you must present a valid driver’s license or photo identification, proof of residency for at least 6-months (a local utility bill can be used), and a copy of your DD-214 or Military Discharge papers. Licenses are issued free of charge and are valid as long as you maintain residency within the county. To get a license, you must appear in person and bring two (2) passport photos with you. An appointment must be made by calling (631) 852-2000 ext. 100.
In addition to obtaining a Veteran’s Peddler’s License from the County Clerk, you will also be required to comply with village or town ordinances related to street peddling. Information can be obtained directly from the individual towns and villages in which the business will be conducted.
“Be sure to contact the respective municipality to learn about their rules and regulations regarding the peddling of wares within their town or village,” commented Pascale.
Non-veterans who are interested in obtaining a peddler’s permit may contact their respective town or village government for more information.
For a better understanding of all the services available to veterans within Suffolk County, individuals should contact the Suffolk County Veterans Services Agency at (631) 853-VETS (8387).
