Prepare in January - Communication Plan

Be Prepared to Be Separated from Your Loved Ones

If you are separated from your loved ones when an emergency happens, your first thoughts always be about your loved ones – where are they, are they safe, how do I check on them?

The stress of an emergency event may make you forget the simplest numbers and routines.  Now is the time to plan how you’re going to communicate with your loved ones to ensure everyone is safe and well.   As a household, discuss who the out-of-area contact will be for everyone to call and check in.   We recommend out of the area being OUT of your geographical location and area code. Keep this Out of Area contact written and with you at all times – put it in your wallet, your purse, kids' backpack, grab-and-go kits, and 72-hour kits

Ask a friend or relative who lives away from you and out of your immediate area to be the household out-of-area contact.  This out-of-area contact should live a minimum of 100km or more away from you – needing to call long distance may be easier than local calling.

An out-of-area contact is a key piece to a communications plan.  When the emergency hits – everyone in your household will call that out-of-area contact to check-in.  Keeping it short and specific – let the contact know how you are and where you plan to be. Ask who else has checked in. Say when you will check in again. Then as everyone calls in, the out-of-area contact can reassure each household member that everyone is fine.

Out-of-Area Contact Card Template

• Use the web – social media links may work over phone calls – know each other’s Facebook or Instagram pages to message on or set up a Family WhatsApp for messaging.
• Use SMS text – this feature may work when phone lines don’t
• Print and complete these out-of-area contact cards and provide one to each household member to keep with them at all times.