Family contacts

[kev]

If your family has to evacuate - who is your common contact person? You need a contact person outside the affected area that can relay messages and keep track of where everyone is at.

There is no use in everyone calling everyone else and telling them where they are at. Call one person, update your situation and location. Then, that one person can relay everyone else's messages.

My family has 3 different people in 3 different areas of the nation we can use. These three people live in Washington state, California and Georgia.

[Mama Bear]

Originally Posted by kev

If your family has to evacuate - who is your common contact person? You need a contact person outside the affected area that can relay messages and keep track of where everyone is at.

There is no use in everyone calling everyone else and telling them where they are at. Call one person, update your situation and location. Then, that one person can relay everyone else's messages.

My family has 3 different people in 3 different areas of the nation we can use. These three people live in Washington state, California and Georgia.

We don't have a formal calling tree, but we all kinda call whoever we can get ahold of. We've got family in Pa., Tx., Fla., Ak, Va... So we're pretty spread out But that's another thing to think about- I need to put a mini address book in the BOB, and downstairs with the supplies...

[mgd_only]

my mom is the contact person. shes in cali. where all of are family is except my aunt patty. Who is in HI. If for some reason anyone can't get a hold of my mom are back up is my uncle grant.

[safetyhappy]

I have local and out of state contacts set up, primary and backup as well as meeting places in the neighborhood and at a distance in case we can't get back home. I made up business sized cards with the information so everyone can carry it with them. My daughter has been trained in emergency preparedness and first aid. As a matter of fact I just went over the emergency shutoff procedures for our utilities with her this morning before I took her to school.

[mgd_only]

saftyhappy the biz cards idea is great i'll have to do this as well

[Te Hopo]

My mum, shes central, and thats where we'd be heading anyway.

[DocYoung]

My family is pretty much all one block apart. If we bug out they go or stay, its on them, but they will know our choice before we go.

[dolmen]

Calling is only possible if the powers that be allow it! In a proper emergency, there are so many trying to use the various systems that they normally fail, so ordinary joe is left high and dry, he is shut out of the system while the emergency services can still use their cells etc.

Cheers

[Urban Survival Tools]

As a 6 year old kid growing up in Southern California, I can still remember memorizing my aunt and uncle's phone number for that very reason!!!

They were in Utah and were our central point of contact should our family be split in an emergency. Good ol mom and dad pounded into my head! But hey it worked--as I sit here and type I can still remember what it is!

I was living in New York City in the summer of 2003, during the GIANT power outtage of the northeast, and learned that it's a good idea to have both a land line and cell phone number for your contact, as different services and providers can be affected differently in certain disasters.

If possible, it's a great idea to have 2 cell phones yourself, on two different networks, to increase your chances of getting your dial out. In the 2003 power outtage of NYC, Verizon was the only service that worked (and no, I don't work for them...I don't even have Veizon...).

[mytime321]

my closest relative is about 700 miles away in New Orleans. So I am on my own. I do need to get an evac or bug in plan though.

[emclean]

Calling is only possible if the powers that be allow it! In a proper emergency, there are so many trying to use the various systems that they normally fail, so ordinary joe is left high and dry, he is shut out of the system while the emergency services can still use their cells etc.

learn to text message. often a text message can get through when a call cant from over use.

[TexasR.N.]

Originally Posted by emclean

learn to text message. often a text message can get through when a call cant from over use.

You beat me to it ^. I was watching a program where they covered this topic. The way it was explained is that text messages take up less bandwidth than a phone call does, therefore your message has a better chance of getting through.

If I explained this incorrectly someone please feel free to provide the correct info.

Craig

[ex-hunter]

On my wife's side, everyone just naturally contacts her sister Jenny first.

On my side, since I live at 'home' ... it's me (I've had the same phone number my entire life.)

[dcliffhanger]

Originally Posted by emclean

learn to text message. often a text message can get through when a call cant from over use.

During Katrina text messeges were going through long after everything else shut down. The City officials had to learn to text in the middle of the disaster.

[Monique]

This is an excellent suggestion. After Katrina (up here in inland south Mississippi) the only family I could reach were in WA, or over in NW Arkansas. The only local person I could reach was my ex because we have the same cell provider and they were the only game in town. That was interesting.

[fragmall]

My brother is 2 suburbs over, my sister is about 600 klicks distant, on the northern coast, near Queensland and one cousin living in Virginia, USA but they are really out of the question, I also have an ex, whom I still get on well with, a few suburbs away.

[Dwind]

my family couldn't care less if I was alive or dead. Makes things easier.

[haha49]

well.. with adult kids.. plan 1 meet at the house all leave together... plan b cant get home ect head to nearest friends place... plan c head to one thats further away.. depends on the area ie chemical leak earthquake flood ect..

Right now I just scored all the citys plans on what they plan do if anything happens reading it right now very intresting.. its like 40 books on earthquake, counter terrisom, flood, fire, other natural disaster, dam breaking.. I mean they cover almost everything every were.. it says who covers what area the routes backup routes.. buildings to take people how to inspect them.. and the blue prints for them all... its cool haveing all the books for stuff its very intresting to read..

[Kroenen117]

Va contacts Colorado contacts and a few other states


it would be hard to contact them or get out of dodge if we get EMP'ed though.. sigh

[DarkLight]

No, I don't work for the government in any capacity whatsoever. They do, however, occasionally do something right and this is an example of one of them. On the FEMA site you can get a PDF doc with blanks to fill in and cut out then fold down to business card size (similar to what was already mentioned but possibly with more information on it).

Link is here for a very BASIC card:
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/appendix_c.pdf

I'm also attaching a more thorough card that I can't find the link for really quickly (I'll edit the post if I can find the link).

I usually don't say this but someone at FEMA is actually thinking about this sort of thing and if they aren't careful they're gonna lose their job!

--DL