How to Stay Connected During an Emergency
Your family may be separated when an emergency develops in your area. How will you communicate if cell service is affected in any way? Make a family communication plan now to ensure that your family will be prepared and know what to do.
Emergency Planning
Phone Numbers
Besides storing each of these numbers in each family member’s cell phone, there should be a physical list of the following numbers. This written list can be tucked neatly in a wallet and children’s backpacks for safekeeping.
- ICE (in case of emergency) contact
- local primary & secondary contacts
- out of state contact
- family members
- friends
- work and school
- emergency services
- local non-emergency police number
- educate children on when to call 911
Family Contact Assignments
Primary and secondary local contacts
This could be both parents or any two adults in the family. If there is a disaster and any family member is not home, agree that they will check in with the primary local contact. If that doesn’t work, move on to the secondary. If local calls are not possible at all, move on to your out-of-state contact.
Out-of-state contact
After a disaster, it may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than it is a local call. For this reason, an out-of-state contact, family, or friend, is chosen to receive safety check-in phone calls from your family. Teach your family that if local calling is not possible, and they are away from home when a disaster strikes, to call this person. This out-of-state contact’s job is to make sure all family members check in and are accounted for and share this information with the rest. Of course, this person should agree to be your contact ahead of time.
Emergency Planning
During an emergency, how will your family communicate with each other? When the cell phone system works, it’s easy. But what will you do if cell service is down, and not all family members are home? Preparing for both scenarios covers the bases.
When Cell Service is Working
Here are some ways you can use your cell phone to communicate with your family or emergency response workers if calling them directly does not work but your phone has other working functions.
Call out of state contact
- If your cell phone does not work locally, it may be able to call out of state.
- This is the time you want to check in with your out-of-state contact and let them know your situation.
Social Media
- Update your status on your various social media pages to let your friends and family know where you are.
- After you reach a safe location, post your location, and try to coordinate a meeting spot with loved ones.
Text SHELTER to 43362
- You can text SHELTER and the zip code of your location to 43362 to see what locations near you offer shelter in times of emergencies, such as schools and faith-based organizations.
- Texting can be more efficient than calling during an emergency as the message will continuously retry sending until it is received.
Location Services
- Ensure that your phone’s emergency location service (ELS) is turned on.
- Dialing an emergency number while ELS is turned on will automatically send its location to emergency response partners, allowing them to pinpoint your location and send help.
- Most phones have ELS turned on by default underneath location settings.
Voicemail
- Your family may be able to reach your voicemail even if they can't get you directly.
- Once you reach a safe location or shelter, update your voicemail to let others know where you’re located.
Tip: The best way to extend your phone’s battery life is to turn on the low battery setting in your phone’s settings. Extending your battery life allows you to preserve your phone for as long as possible during an emergency when charging isn’t available.
When Cell Service is Not Working
Power can be lost in an emergency, and phone and cell services can be disrupted. Preparing now can provide you with alternative methods to both communicate and stay informed during emergencies.
Device Considerations
There are several effective alternative communication devices available on the market today that you can store as a backup should cell phone service be disrupted. When choosing the best alternative communication methods for your family, consider the following criteria:
- Ease of operation - should be simple to use, especially in stressful situations.
- Effective range - sufficient for the locations where your family typically spends time.
- Interference protection - should have adequate resistance to interference to ensure clear communication.
- Affordability - should fit your budget, considering both initial and maintenance costs - some options require monthly fees.
- Electricity independence - the device should be able to operate without a direct electrical connection.
Device Options for Every Skill Level
Most emergencies begin with partial system failures - some channels may still work while others go down. That’s why it’s critical to have a layered communication plan that uses multiple tools with overlapping functions. If one method fails, another can take its place. Here are some popular and reliable backup communication options:
AM/FM/SW Radio | NOAA Weather Alert Radio | FRS Walkie-Talkie | GMRS Walkie-Talkie | CB Radios | HAM (Amateur) Radios | Mesh Network Devices | Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) Radio | Satellite Locator Beacons | Satellite Communicators | Satellite Internet
Learn more about these devices by visiting How to Communicate When Cell and Grid Power Go Down
Staying informed
Knowing what is happening, getting updates, and following the direction of local government may be key to survival. There are two important things you can do to ensure this happens.
1 - Sign up for local emergency alerts
Local alerts from the government can work even when general cell service is down.
2 - Purchase a battery and solar-powered radio
For example: Ambient Weather WR-111B Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio - a radio like this will ensure you can receive broadcasts when other communication methods fail.
Emergency Planning
In the event of an emergency, you may need to meet family members somewhere else, especially if some are not at home when the emergency occurs. Different emergencies require different meeting locations. Be sure to designate at least three locations your family members are familiar with and plan to meet there depending upon which location the emergency calls for. Once these places have been chosen, write them down and make family meeting locations part of your family communication plan. Here are some general ideas and examples. Pick specific locations that make sense for your family.
Plan 1 - Directly outside your home
Where: sidewalk in front of the house, near the mailbox, in the driveway, or at a neighbor’s house.
When:for emergencies taking place directly in the house - like a fire.
Plan 2 - Inside your neighborhood or surrounding area
Where: school parking lot, church parking lot, or park playground.
When: for emergencies that affect your street, your block, or other surrounding areas.
Plan 3 - Across town or further
Where: a family member's home or the south entrance of a shopping mall.
When: for large scale evacuation orders due to wildfires, chemical spills, or similar events.