Getting prepared for an earthquake or any large-scale disaster is kind of like building a puzzle in that there are many different pieces to it. Sometimes it can be difficult to know exactly where to begin and each piece completed gets you one step closer to an adequate level of preparedness. Over the next year we will be focusing on a different piece of preparedness for each month in our “Get Ready; Stay Ready” campaign 2015. For this month, we’re going to look at developing a family communications plan.
A communications plan is an extremely important part of the “preparedness puzzle.” Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so you must plan for how you will contact one another or at least communicate your safety to one another if separated. Begin this process by printing and completing the American Red Cross Emergency Contact Card for each member of your family found at the following link: http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240194_ECCard.pdf
At minimum, this card should identify the following once complete:
• Contact information for each person in your family.
• A pre-designated meeting location outside of your neighborhood.
• An out-of-area contact person and their phone number(s).
The latter is particularly important because following a large-scale earthquake in southern California cell phone lines within the area will be congested and there is a strong likelihood you will not be able to contact your loved ones within the affected area. However, by designating somebody outside the area or, better yet, the state you will have a much chance of getting through and communicating your safety and location status to them. This out-of-area contact person can relay information to various family members about other family members and act as the liaison of information. Each family member should retain a copy of the Emergency Contact Card in their wallet, purse, backpack, etc.
Next, your family should develop a document with additional important information using excel or another application including the following:
• Name, Date of Birth, SSN & important medical information (i.e. conditions, medications, etc.) for each person in your home.
• Name of doctor, pharmacy, & veterinarian for each person and pet in your home including phone numbers and addresses.
• A flexible reunification plan including where family members will meet if it happens while parents are at work or children are at school. Be sure to document the name of employer or school, address, and contact information. Parents should contact the school during the development of this plan to clarify what the school’s emergency plan is following a large-scale earthquake or other disaster while school is in session.
• Phone numbers for the gas, electric, water and telephone companies.
• Location of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and water heater in the home as well as the shutoff locations for all utilities.
A copy of this spreadsheet should be printed and retained by each member of the household. Remember, all of this information is no good if it’s stored on a computer and inaccessible during a power outage so be strategic in planning where and how each family member will maintain their copy. It is equally important that this spreadsheet be reviewed and information validated every six months when you change the batteries in your smoke alarms during the time change.
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