CDC EPIC - Family Communication Plans

Involve the whole family in making and reviewing a family communication plan.

Photo credit: FEMA, Zachary Kittrie

Disaster can strike at any time. You and your family may not be together when a disaster hits. Make a plan for how you will connect to each other. The following are steps you can start with:

• Complete a contact card for each family member. Everyone should keep these cards with them at all times.
• Choose an emergency contact. Memorize the phone number if you can. A friend or relative who lives out of town might be easier to reach in an emergency. During an emergency, family members can text or call this person to let them know that they are safe.
• Make sure all your family members know how to text. Make sure everyone knows how to turn on a cellphone, find the text messaging app, type a message, and send it to a contact.
• Know emergency telephone numbers. Keep them in your cell phone and post them near your home phones. Some good numbers to have are your emergency contact, the fire department, police station, and hospital near you.

Join the next EPIC Webinar - May 22, 2018

Travelers' Health May 22, 2018 1:00 PM Eastern Time CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine is joining the CDC EPIC team to explain how to prepare for the summer travel season, including diseases to look out for in different parts of the world, suggested vaccinations, and other health considerations..