Personalized Communication Plan

In situation of high stress, we all share the same vulnerability: our dependence on communication networks.

What if your family members are not with you when a disaster strikes?

How will you make decisions if you cannot communicate with them?

This is why you need to add a communication strategy in your emergency plan.

Part 1

In case of emergency, time is a crucial factor.

Receiving alerts and information about a current or an upcoming emergency can make all the difference.

Federal and local authorities have several ways of sending warnings and alerts including text, voice messages, emails, radio and television broadcasting, they also can use mobile applications.

Some require sign-up, but others do not.

The first thing step in setting up your communication plan is to find out what your local alert systems are. Your workplace, schools, local communities might also have an alert system.

If mobile and internet networks are down, you should have a crank radio in your emergency kit to stay informed. That means that you must check what are your local frequencies and have them programmed or noted on your radio (if you wait until you don’t have any mobile and internet network, you might have a hard time finding the right frequency!).

Write down a list of alert systems available around you in your communication plan, so you don’t have to look for it when you need it, and make sure to share the information with the people you have included in your emergency plan.

Part 2

Your communication plan should have a section with your household members’ phone numbers, emails and other applications logins.

An out-of-state or out-of-town contact must be identified and included in your plan.

Also note the essential and emergency services around you, including medical contacts, school, workplace, first responders, utilities.

Your communication plan should be made to deal with two situations:

Situation 1 - You still have access to mobile network:

Prepare a communication protocol to know what device or application to use and how to communicate.

For example: you will use text messaging as a default, because it uses less bandwidth and if the message can't get through right away, the system will keep trying to send.

You can also use applications like WhatsApp and have a discussion group set up specifically for emergency communication. Your out-of-state contact should be included in the group so they can relay the information if needed (which means that this contact must know your emergency plan).

Situation 2 - You don’t have any mobile network or internet access

This is why you need to have a plan, so everybody knows what to do even without being able to communicate directly.

You will have discussed the circumstances if you have to evacuate your home, what you should take with you (emergency kits), where and how to go to regroup.

Part 3

Each one your family or household member must know where and how to go to the meeting places you have chosen in your neighborhood, in your city and eventually out of the city.

Your communication plan needs to be known and understood by anyone included in it, don’t forget to brief your out of State contact.

Review your plan and test your devices to make sure you know how to use them and that you always have a way to charge them.

By being prepared and ready will give you confidence in times when so much feels out of control.

If you have any questions or about setting up your own plan send me an email at hello@projectspe.com and follow us on Instagram @projectspe