Create and share your emergency information with friends and family

Daily routines are easy to anticipate. Most of us wake around the same time every day, and we know more or less how the day might go (school, work, or otherwise). Every now and again something unexpected certainly occurs. But, these events are normally manageable. Yet, what about incidents that are beyond our control?

While collecting and documenting pertinent information is critical, safely and securely storing it (physical and digital) is just as important. We will provide more details later on as well as the importance of sharing and making physical and digital copies accessible to family, friends, neighbors, places of work, and your children’s school.

One option is to download and print a blank template, available from AidTeam in both English and Spanish. Or try some others to find the right one that fits you.

Nowadays, physical and digital copies are recommended. Physical copies should be printed and stored in a safe and secure place. Some emergency contact sheets will need to be personalized so take care to think over the information for each person or party.

The first place to save a copy is at home. Pick a spot that is safe, but also one that you’ll remember. The second is at another location such as work or with a neighbor. Again, this spot should be somewhere you can easily access and not too difficult for someone else to locate in the event that you need to guide them to it.

Storing digital copies for remote access is a very convenient way to keep your records secure and accessible. There are several great online storage options such as Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox. All these platforms are well established and range from FREE to around $10 a month.

Not everyone will need to receive the same contact information. Create different versions from these templates for different people. Each emergency contact sheet will need to be personalized so take care to think over the right information for each person or group of contacts. Find the right template that works for you or use these as inspiration to create or update your own.

Most workplaces ask for an emergency contact(s) in the beginning so hopefully you already have that covered. Neighbors can be difficult, especially when they are difficult so think of the neighbor that you would call if you thought you left the stove on. Family and friends are a must, especially the ones that live closest to you. Enrolling yourself or any children in school will nearly always request emergency contact information, if they for some reason did not ask, be sure to provide it to them.

Physical copies can be quickly distributed via traditional mail while digital copies can be shared via email or using one of the great online storage services listed above.