Emergency Contact Information


Having emergency numbers on hand is an essential part of being prepared. During an emergency, it's easy to become disoriented or upset, so you need to have all important phone numbers readily available ahead of time.

Write each phone number clearly so that it will be easy for kids to read. Use a pen with dark-colored ink because pencil or light-colored ink can be harder to read when you're in a hurry or if lights are dim. If you choose to create your own phone list, make sure your list includes the following numbers:

  • emergency medical services (In most places this is 911, but your community may have its own number. Check your telephone book if you're unsure.)
  • poison control center (Call 1-800-222-1222 to be connected to a center in your area.)
  • hospital emergency room
  • fire department
  • police department
  • your child's doctor
  • parent(s) at work, including cell phone and pager
  • neighbor or relative

Your list should also include known allergies, especially to any medication, medical conditions, and insurance information for all members of the family.

Because accidents can happen in any part of the home, make copies of the completed list and post one near every telephone in the house. In addition, make sure that adults who come to the house to watch your children (babysitters or relatives, for example) familiarize themselves with the list.

You can also set up a network of friends and family who live outside of your area to keep in touch with during an emergency. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-state contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.  Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. You may have trouble getting through, or the telephone system may be down altogether, but be patient.

 

Helpful Organizations During Natural Disasters:

The American Red Cross

Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting the emergency disaster-caused needs of individuals and families. When a disaster threatens or strikes, they provide shelter, food, and health and mental health services, which address basic human needs. In addition, they help individuals and families to resume their normal daily activities independently. This may include a referral or a way to pay for what is needed most: groceries, new clothes, rent, emergency home repairs, transportation, household items, medicines, and occupational tools.

The Red Cross may also help those needing long-term recovery assistance when all other available resources, including insurance, government, private, and community assistance, are either unavailable or inadequate to meet the needs. All assistance is based on verified disaster-caused needs and all assistance is free.

The Red Cross also feeds disaster victims and emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned immediate family members outside the disaster-affected area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims, and links disaster victims to other available resources. You can visit them at http://www.redcross.org.

 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA is an independent federal agency with more than 2,600 full time employees. They work at FEMA headquarters in Washington D.C., at regional and area offices across the country, at the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, and at the FEMA training center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. FEMA also has nearly 4,000 standby disaster assistance employees who are available to help out after disasters. Often FEMA works in partnership with other organizations that are part of the nation's emergency management system. These partners include state and local emergency management agencies, 27 federal agencies and The American Red Cross.

FEMA's mission is to educate the public on disasters so that people can prepare against hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, fires or hazardous spills, or any other acts of nature or terrorism.  Their mission has been to reduce loss of life and property and protect our nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.  You can visit them at http://www.fema.org.

Sources: http://kidshealth.org, http://www.redcross.org, and http://www.fema.org.

Graphics Source: AP