Emergency Prep: Family Communications Plan

The following information is from an article written by Joe Dougherty in the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City-based newspaper.  The Deseret News, Emergency Essentials, and Be Ready Utah created an emergency preparedness guide, found on Deseret News.com, that leads you through the steps to emergency planning.

Following are their tips for your family communications plan in the event of an emergency.

1. Each person in the family needs a card with important information to carry at all times.  In a long-term power outage, cell phones will eventually die, taking contact information with them.  Print the information and laminate the cards.
2. Have an out-of-state contact.  You might be able to text your Aunt Bep in New Jersey before you can call your cousin across town.  Make sure that person understands his or her role of coordinating family information.
3. Designate family meeting places.  This can work in a variety of emergencies.  If you had a fire at home, the family meeting place might be at a neighbor's home.  But what if you're not at home when an emergency happens?  Parents might be at work, children at school.  Talk to your school about its emergency plans.
4. Practice your plans.  Test them from time to time so your actions will be automatic in an emergency.