30 EASY PREPAREDNESS IDEAS — DAY 13

Make an Emergency Contact Card

Welcome to Day 13 of our 30 Easy Preparedness Ideas!

I have a question for you.

How many phone numbers do you actually KNOW?

Not how many are saved in your phone.

How many could you dial right now...

WITHOUT YOUR PHONE? 

Years ago, I could tell you everyone's phone number from memory.

Today?

My phone knows them for me. 

That's wonderfully convenient—until your phone is lost, damaged, dead, left behind or you can't access it.

So today's preparedness challenge costs almost nothing.

We're going old school.

WE'RE PUTTING IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON PAPER! 

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CREATE YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD

Grab an index card, piece of paper or print a small card from your computer.

Write down the important contact information your family may need during an emergency.

Start with:

• Household members
• Cell phone numbers
• Home address
• Nearby family or trusted contacts
• An out-of-area contact
• School or childcare information, when applicable
• Important workplace numbers, when appropriate
• Healthcare information you may need
• Veterinarian information if you have pets

You don't need to put every phone number you've ever collected on the card.

KEEP IT USEFUL.

We created an easy page for your binder - the Red Binder the one that has all your copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, copies of insurance and more.

FAMILY EMERGENCY FOLDER PAGE

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CHOOSE AN OUT-OF-AREA CONTACT

Consider choosing a trusted family member or friend who lives outside your immediate area.

Why?

During a local emergency, family members may become separated.

Your out-of-area contact can be someone everyone knows to contact if you're having trouble reaching each other directly.

Make sure that person knows they're your emergency contact.

Then make sure everyone in your household knows:

WHO THEY ARE.

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MAKE A CARD FOR THE KIDS

This is especially important for children.

Depending on their age, include information such as:

• Child's name
• Parent or guardian names
• Parent/guardian phone numbers
• Home address
• Backup trusted contact
• Out-of-area contact

Teach children how to use the card and who they should give the information to if they need help.

For younger children, keep it simple.

They don't need a novel in their backpack.

They need clear information they can actually use.

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MIMI'S TIP: TEACH ONE NUMBER

Even if your child carries an Emergency Contact Card, work on helping them memorize at least one important phone number when they're old enough to do so.

And while we're teaching the kids...

Maybe some of us adults should memorize one too! 

Pick one important number and practice it.

We rely on our phones so much that many of us haven't memorized a new phone number in years.

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MAKE MORE THAN ONE COPY

Here's where today's little project becomes really useful.

Don't make one Emergency Contact Card and tuck it into a drawer.

Make several copies.

Consider keeping one in:

• Your Grab-N-Go Bag
• Your vehicle emergency kit
• Your wallet or purse
• Children's backpacks, when appropriate
• Your first-aid kit or emergency binder
• Your household emergency supplies

You can even make a small wallet-size version and laminate it or place it inside a protective sleeve.

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CONNECT IT TO DAY 11

Remember when we checked our First-Aid Kits on Day 11?

We talked about keeping important medical information accessible.

Your Emergency Contact Card can also include essential information first responders or caregivers may need to know.

Depending on your household, that might include:

• Serious allergies
• Important medications
• Important medical conditions
• Healthcare provider contact information

Keep medical information limited to what is genuinely useful in an emergency and think carefully about privacy when deciding what goes on a card that may be carried outside your home.

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DON'T FORGET THE PETS!

Yesterday we talked about emergency cash.

Earlier, on Day 8, we checked our Pet Grab-N-Go Bags.

Your emergency contact information can help your pets too.

Consider including:

• Pet's name
• Veterinarian name & phone number
• Emergency contact
• Important medication or medical needs

If your pet is microchipped, make sure the registration contact information is current.

A recent photo of you with your pet can also be useful if you become separated.

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BUT EVERYTHING IS IN MY PHONE!

I know.

Mine too. 

We're not getting rid of technology.

We're creating a backup.

Your phone is still one of your most useful emergency tools.

But preparedness is often about having another option.

Phone + Paper.

If one isn't available, you still have the other.

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DON'T PUT EVERYTHING ON THE CARD

This is important.

An Emergency Contact Card is NOT the place for:

❌ Passwords
❌ PIN numbers
❌ Social Security numbers
❌ Bank account numbers
❌ Credit card information
❌ Other unnecessary sensitive information

Remember, you may carry this card in a wallet, backpack or emergency bag that could be lost.

Only include the information you reasonably need for an emergency.

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ADD IT TO YOUR 6-MONTH CHECK

You knew this was coming! 

Our six-month preparedness check keeps getting bigger—but each individual job only takes a few minutes.

Twice a year, check your Emergency Contact Cards.

Ask:

☐ Are the phone numbers still correct?
☐ Has anyone moved?
☐ Did a child change schools?
☐ Did your veterinarian change?
☐ Has important medical information changed?
☐ Is your out-of-area contact still the right person?
☐ Are the cards still where they're supposed to be?

Then print or write new copies if needed.

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TODAY'S EASY PREPAREDNESS CHALLENGE

Today:

☐ Write down household phone numbers
☐ Add your home address
☐ Choose an out-of-area contact
☐ Add important school/work contacts when needed
☐ Add essential medical information when appropriate
☐ Add veterinarian information for pets
☐ Make copies for family members
☐ Put one in your Grab-N-Go Bag
☐ Put one in your vehicle emergency kit
☐ Put one in your wallet or purse
☐ Help children understand how to use theirs
☐ Pick one important phone number to memorize

That's it!

And this might cost you nothing more than a piece of paper and a few minutes.

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✅ DAY 13 — DONE!

Today we created something incredibly simple:

A PIECE OF PAPER.

But that little piece of paper could contain the phone number you need when your phone doesn't.

Preparedness isn't always about buying more supplies.

Sometimes it's simply making sure important information isn't trapped inside a device.

WRITE IT DOWN. MAKE COPIES. KEEP THEM HANDY.

Tomorrow we'll move on to Day 14 and another easy preparedness challenge.

Until then...

One little thing at a time. 

— Mimi

PackFreshUSA | 30 Easy Preparedness Ideas