SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), in cooperation with the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is making legal information and services available to victims of major disasters in Illinois, including those affected by recent flooding.

Free legal services are available to low-income residents in need of assistance. The number to call is at 1-800-252-8908 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Residents can also access information on the ISBA's consumer web site at www.isbalawyers.com. The information posted on the site includes items that victims should safeguard if they have to evacuate their home.

"Proof of identity is of paramount importance," said Jack C. Carey, a Belleville attorney who is president of the ISBA. He noted that these items include proof of your name, place of residency and employment, as well as insurance policies, charge cards, checkbooks and personal documents such as wills and passports. Information posted on the ISBA web site also advises people to place an identification tag on their pets and bring along a cell phone and charger as well as a laptop computer, if they own one.

"These items should be gathered early on and kept in one place, preferably in a waterproof container that is easily transported in the event of an evacuation," he said.

The web site also includes contact information for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Legal Aid, Illinois State Police, International Red Cross, Salvation Army and numerous others.

The 35,000-member ISBA, with offices in Springfield and Chicago, provides professional services to Illinois Lawyers, and education and services to the public.