Family emergency communication plan when networks are unavailable
Start with the case that is easiest to overlook: nobody can send a message. Agree on a safe plan before an outage, then use calls or texts as additional ways to reconnect when service is available.
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Separate congestion from no service
A text may get through when voice networks are busy, but ordinary calls and texts still need working service. Do not make “send a message” the only step in your plan. A phone’s satellite features, if available, have their own device, location and service requirements.
Agree on a sequence
Write down one local meeting place and an alternative outside the neighborhood. Decide when people should stay in their safe location instead of traveling, and how local evacuation instructions change the plan. Choose an out-of-area contact who has agreed to relay updates when communication is possible.
Match the plan to real responsibilities
Confirm school pickup permissions and reunification arrangements. Assign an adult to contact caregivers and a backup if that person is unavailable. Give children a short contact card and practise the agreed steps in an age-appropriate way.
Keep information and power available
Keep written contacts and a way to receive local official information, such as an appropriate battery-powered radio. Include charging supplies that work with your devices. Recheck this plan when schools, workplaces, contacts or devices change.
How this resource was researched
This worksheet uses Be Ready Utah’s contact and meeting-place guidance. The decision steps are an original way to organize those arrangements; they do not promise that a particular network or device will work.