Saturday, October 21, 2017 by Michelle Simmons
http://www.preparedness.news/2017-10-21-be-prepared-how-to-communicate-with-your-family-during-an-emergency.html
It is important to be always prepared in times of emergency. This includes always having a plan and keeping a ready supply of survival essentials. But more importantly, you need to know how to communicate well with others during these situations. Here are three tips that will help.
Almost everyone is on social media. You can take advantage of this to reassure your family immediately and easily. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have become great tools for disseminating information before, during, and after emergency situations, such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. This was proven useful when, in 2011, Virginia was about to be hit by an earthquake. People were warned beforehand through Twitter, allowing them enough time to prepare. Many lives were saved because of this. Facebook, on the other hand, is the social media platform that most people use to keep tabs on their loved ones.
Make use of your phone to download mobile apps for emergencies, like the apps offered by the Red Cross. The organization has a series of mobile apps that were designed to teach you before an emergency and guide you after one. It offers disaster tutorials for tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. Download which are applicable to your area and go to the toolkit section. The toolkit section contains everything you need to make a plan, get immediate first aid information, and notify your family and friends that you are safe. Moreover, each app has a flashlight, strobe light, and alarm that are useful in case you get trapped and need to let people know your location. The “I’m Safe” tab of the toolkit allows you to send a customized message about your situation and whereabouts on your social media accounts, text messaging, and email all at once.
Planning beforehand will help ensure that all members of the family know how to contact and where to meet up in an emergency. There are three simple steps to start planning, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The first step is to list down the contact details of your family and other important people and offices. Next, distribute a copy of the list to every family member. Lastly, practice. Conduct household meetings regularly to review and practice your plan.
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Tagged Under: Tags: backup plan, communication, Disasters, emergency, family, preparedness, survival