Family Communication Plan for Disasters

Pick a landmark near your home (mailbox, utility pole, neighbor's fence) as your primary meeting spot. Ensure it's outside your home—pick somewhere everyone can reach on foot if roads are blocked. Choose a secondary meeting point outside your neighborhood (park, school, library) in case your area is unsafe. A tertiary meeting point outside your city: relative's house or known landmark 20+ miles away. Write all three locations on a paper card each family member carries.

Avoid locations that may be blocked, flooded, or compromised (bridges, power plants, hospitals during emergencies).

Choose a relative or trusted friend who lives far away (different state if possible). Phone lines within a disaster zone often fail, but long-distance calls sometimes get through. During emergencies, call this person to confirm you're safe and ask them to relay your status to other family members. Ensure everyone has their phone number memorized and written down. Choose a backup out-of-area contact in case the primary is unreachable.

Do not rely solely on text messages or apps—phone calls work better during outages.

Agree on a simple word or phrase that confirms someone's identity during a phone or in-person encounter. This prevents imposters or confused strangers from claiming to be family. Use something memorable but not obvious (not a birthday or pet name). Example: "The garden is blooming" means "I'm safe and can travel." Establish 2–3 code phrases for different situations: "I'm safe", "I'm injured, need help", "Shelter in place, don't come." Write these down and review them quarterly.

Identify a safe, weather-protected location where family members can leave written notes if they can't communicate by phone. Use a plastic bag or container at a place everyone knows: inside a fence post, taped to a tree, hidden in a rock, or buried in a marked garden spot. Agree on a code (e.g., "leave a note in the fence post if you're delayed"). Include date, time, location, and next planned meeting point. Check this location every 12–24 hours during the first 72 hours after the disaster.

Agree on times when family members will attempt to check in. During the first 24–48 hours after a major disaster, try the out-of-area contact every 6 hours (6am, noon, 6pm, midnight). If you can't reach them, try again 1–2 hours later. For in-person meetings: agree that the primary meeting point is checked every 12 hours for the first 3 days, then daily. Leave a dated note each time you check, even if no one else is there yet. This proves you've been searching.

Establish a protocol before disaster strikes: if someone doesn't arrive within 24 hours, assume they're injured or sheltering in place—do not search alone. Try calling hospitals or local emergency services if phones work. Move to the secondary meeting point and post a note at the primary location with the date, your name, and the secondary location. Wait 24 hours at each location before moving to the tertiary point. If children are missing, contact authorities immediately. If an adult is missing, leave messages and move to safer locations rather than risk your own safety.

Do not leave vulnerable children unattended to search for adults. Wait for emergency responders or search only in pairs.

If your family speaks multiple languages, teach everyone basic phrases in English and your native language: "I am safe", "I need water", "Where is the hospital?", "Help needed here", "Do you have food?", "Which way to [location]?". Write phonetic versions on wallet cards. If you assist non-English-speaking people, these phrases help you communicate critical information. Practice pronunciation together as a family every few months.