We are used to staying in touch with cell phones, internet and email. during a disaster communications networks could be unreliable and electricity could be disrupted. You may not be with your family when a disaster strikes. Sit down together and decide how you will get in contact with each other and practice your family emergency plan before an actual emergency happens.
COLLECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Write down all contact information from everyone in our household. Include contact information for important organizations such as medical facilities, doctors, schools, or service providers. It is also important to identify an emergency contact outside of your community or state. Having this information is important and will help you reconnect with others in case of an emergency.
EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES
Identify a safe place near your home and another one outside your community where you and your family can go to for protection. This place can be a family members house or a public building. Make sure everyone knows the meeting place and how to get there.
SHARE AND PRACTICE
Make multiple copies of your families communication plan. Have everyone carry a copy on them and enter important contacts into their cell phones. Post a copy in a central place in your home such as the fridge. Practice texting and calling your emergency contacts and what information to send.
In case of emergency
Program In Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers into all family cell phones. If you are hurt or cant talk first responders or medical staff can check your phone for an ICE contact.
safe and well
The American Red Cross has created the Safe and Well Website to help families keep in touch after a disaster. This website allows you to mark yourself "safe and well". Concerned family and friends can search the list of those who have register, letting them know of your well-being.
text is best!
If you are using a mobile phone, a text message may get through when a phone call will not. This is because a text message requires far less bandwidth than a phone call. Text messages may also save and then send automatically as soon as capacity becomes available.