DISASTERS
Central Check In
We live in a connected society, and in normal times getting phone calls and texts from relatives and friends is welcomed with joy. But while you are handling an emergency, the last thing you need is to have the phone tied up with calls and texts of far-away people who are checking on your status.
To solve that problem, first decide on an out-of-state, central contact who will be notified as soon as possible when a natural disaster or some other emergency happens in your neighborhood.
Grandpa TJ’s Tip
Click on the General Store link below to get a free copy of the Family Emergency Playbook or the Rapid Response Cards mentioned in the NCMEC video above. They are in PDF format so that you can print out as many copies as you need. I recommend that every member of your family who has a mobile phone or drives a car have a copy. You may also wish to provide either of these tools to a trusted resource if your small children are in daycare.
- Grandpa TJ -
Family Emergency Preparedness Tools
Out-of-State Contacts video
This is an excellent video which covers Family Emergency Preparedness Tools including Out-of-State Contacts. It also shows how to create a written record in case phones are unusable.
Thanks to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for the YouTube video
Free Family Emergency Playbook and Rapid Response Cards
Get them from the Locate Family section of Grandpa TJ’s General Store.
Navigation
Need help with your situation?
Email Grandpa TJ for free unbiased advice, or join the Inner Circle when you need a real conversation with a real person.
© 2026 Serendipity Labs, LLC. All Rights Reserved.