We live in a world where virtually anything can happen, and it can happen unexpectedly. Accidents at work or school, fender benders, going into labor before the due date, inclement weather on a trip, fires… the list goes on. What do you do when the unexpected happens?
It’s important for all members of your family to have an emergency plan. In this emergency plan you should include details for specific emergency situations. And if you follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), you should have a family communication plan. This plan should detail what steps to take in different emergencies and how you will contact each other.
Creating a Communication Plan
Every family’s communication plan is going to be unique to them, but there are a few guidelines that should be followed in order for it to be effective when you need it.
- Keep a list of emergency phone numbers
- Make sure every family member knows who to contact
- Have an emergency contact
Designating an Emergency Contact
When you choose an emergency contact, first and foremost, you want them to be reliable. In the event of an emergency they will need to react quickly to get you the help you need. It may be best for this emergency contact to be out of town so they can then contact everyone as needed.
The Role of an Emergency Contact
Your emergency contact will be responsible for alerting others of the emergency and calling for the appropriate help. They are a critical piece to your family’s emergency communication plan to keep everyone aware of the situation - pretty much your hero!
Communicate More Efficiently
Because time is of the essence in most emergency situations, you need to be able to contact your emergency contact as quickly as possible so they can react. A convenient addition to your communication plan for every member of the family is the Virtual Halo app. The app lets you send a quick SOS in the event of an emergency to alert your emergency contact. You can then use its check-in feature to keep them updated from there. This simplifies what you need to do in an emergency.