Communications Plan
There's a lot to think about during an emergency. You want to be able to react quickly and efficiently. Communication among your household members and with emergency professionals will be very important.
Getting all of your important information into one document, your codeReady Plan, is an effective way to plan and organize for emergencies. To create your codeReady Plan, you'll be asked to provide for each household member (as appropriate):
Basic communication information
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Cell phone numbers
- Work, school and childcare names, addresses and phone numbers
Medical care provider and other medical information
- Name of primary doctor/pediatrician, clinic name and phone number
- Allergies
- Prescription medications
- Required medical equipment
- Any disabilities
Other important information and phone numbers
- Who will pick up another household member in case of emergency (such as a child at childcare, or senior at senior care)
Your pet's information is important too:
- Veterinarian's name, address and phone number
- Other medical information, such as allergies, medications, most recent shots, ID number or microchip information for identification
Include emergency local, county and state phone numbers so you can stay up-to-date with instructions from public safety officials during an emergency. (When you create your custom plan, these phone numbers will automatically print out as part of your plan, depending on the address that you enter.)
You should also decide on two meeting locations, one in your neighborhood and one further away, in the event you cannot meet at home. Brainstorm with other household members about these locations. For example, if there's an emergency at your home (for example, a fire), where should you meet in your neighborhood? A neighbor's house or a nearby 24-hour store are good choices.
You should also identify a contact person who lives nearby, as well as one that who lives outside of Minnesota. If everyone stays in touch with a contact person, this will improve communication with each other. After you decide who these people are, it's important to talk with them about their role in your codeReady Plan.