Family Communication Plan

In the last 2 weeks there have been at least 15 small earthquakes centered around 3800 W in Benson

Ward. While these events did not produce damage, many people who felt the shaking became anxious

and concerned. This was a helpful reminder to examine many aspects of emergency preparedness,

including a family communication plan, which is our training topic tonight.

 

While we have a few instances of multiple amateur licensed operators in a household in our corner of the county, it’s not the norm. For those of us in single license households, here are a few suggestions to consider when we create a family communications plan:

1. Print a Hard Copy of Contacts

This is especially helpful for younger family members who do not have important phone numbers memorized, but all family members should carry a contact list. A small card would be most convenient to carry in a school bag, backpack, wallet or purse, providing quick access to emergency contact information - but the size of the list can be adjusted based on individual need and desired detail.

2. Program an ICE Number in Phones

If family members are injured or incapacitated, it is helpful to have an In Case of Emergency (ICE) number in everyone’s phone. Emergency responders know to look for this number.

Remember, ICE numbers must be accessible even when the screen is locked. To do this:

• On an iPhone, you can use the built-in Health app
• On Android, you can download the ICE app
• On Samsung Galaxy phones, you can add an emergency contact under the built-in Contacts app

3. Modes of Communication

Cell Phones

You might first reach for your cell phone to get in touch with loved ones. However, FEMA and other disaster agencies recommend against using cell phones.

 

An example: When two IEDs detonated at the Boston Marathon’s finish line in 2013, mobile phone carriers were overloaded. In the fog of disaster, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide tried calling their loved ones in the Boston area. The Boston metropolitan area’s robust mobile networks simply clogged up as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and other providers coped with a massive and unexpected surge.

So, if you cannot contact family by low bandwidth modes, or must call emergency services, keep the call short so you don’t tie up the lines.

Text Messaging

Text messaging doesn’t use as much network bandwidth as calling, so texts are more likely to go through even when the network is congested. Texting also won’t tie up the network like calling, which is why FEMA recommends texts for communication.

Tips:

• Create a group on your phone. Then you can send a message to everyone in your emergency contacts at once. There are apps like GroupMe which make group texting easier.
• Pack a portable solar power bank in your survival bag to keep using your cell for emergency communications even with the power out.

Landlines

Landlines use copper wires buried underground, making them less likely to be damaged during natural disasters than cell phone towers. They also don’t require electricity to work. So, make sure you have landline numbers in your emergency contacts list.

Tips:

 

• Choose a corded landline phone. Cordless phones require electricity and won’t work during power outages.
• If you have call forwarding on your landline, forward calls to your cell number during an emergency. This way, you will still get incoming calls, such as during an evacuation.

Social Media Messaging

Social media and email are great ways to send bulk messages to friends and family during disasters. Just send one message or status report to everyone to let them know you are okay instead of wasting precious network space to call each individually.

Tip:

 

• Make sure you know your social media passwords if you need to access your profile from someone else’s computer or phone. 

Two-Way Radio

As radio operators, we understand how this mode of communication is beneficial in an emergency. Encouraging my immediate family members to become licensed operators apparently requires more persuasion than I can muster, but there are still options that do not require an exam element, such as family radio service and GMRS.  

 

Written Messages

You can use written messages to share vital information as a last resort. For example, if you must evacuate your primary meeting point, you might write a message on the wall.

There are some obvious downsides to this. You won’t know whether your family will see the message, and the message could get destroyed by fire or flood… But it is an easy way to communicate where you have gone.

4. Choose a Central Contact

A central contact is someone located out of state. The central contact must be out of state because, during local disasters, local networks may be overloaded, but long-distance calls will still usually go through.

If you cannot get in touch with family members through any of the methods listed in #3, then you will call the central contact instead. The Central Contact will give each family member news and updates each time they call.

Another good idea is to stagger your calls at established intervals to give updates. For example, Dad calls the central contact every hour, Mom calls at 10 minutes after the hour, etc.

Keep calling until the family is reunited.

5. Set Meeting Points

The next part of your family communication plan is meeting points. These are the places where you will go if in danger or to reunite. Depending on the type of emergency, you will need multiple meeting points.

• Primary meeting point: This will probably be your home.
• Neighborhood meeting point: This is where you will go if your home is unsafe, but the neighborhood is not affected.
• City/town meeting point: If you aren’t at home when the disaster hits and can’t get home, this is where you will go. It should be a safe location, preferably with a storm shelter and nearby places you attend frequently. For example, you might choose a hospital halfway between you and your spouse’s workplace. Or you might choose your children’s school as the meeting point.
• Out-of-town meeting point: This is where you will go if the entire region has become unsafe and you need to evacuate without your family. It might be a relative’s home in the next city or state.

 Other tips:

• If you have children: Make sure you know the emergency procedures at your kids’ schools/daycares, so you will know where they will be located and how to get in contact.
• Preserve phone battery life: Turn off all unneeded apps, turn off mobile data, and reduce screen brightness to save your battery.
• Sign up for disaster alerts: Learn more about emergency alert options at ready.gov/alerts. Also, check if your children’s school district has an alert system.
• After a disaster: Mark yourself as “Safe” on Facebook and register yourself as “Safe and Well” on the American Red Cross website.
• Practice! Do a communication plan drill to ensure everyone understands what to do. Go over the plan yearly and update contact information as needed.