Now is a good time to create your family disaster communications plan or a text tree to check in with family members. Here’s how it works: 1) write down the names and numbers of family and friends, don’t just keep them on your phone because during an emergency you may lose electricity (include children in the communications plan, let them write the names and you can write the numbers on paper). 2) Choose two family members who do not live near a coastal community as your out-of-town key contact person who will send the emergency text to family members when it is needed. 3) Discuss the plan with everyone on your list so all your family members understand how the disaster text tree will work -in real time. 4) Have the key contact person send a ‘Test’ text message to your family and friends. For example, the ‘Test’ text message could say, “This is a ‘Test’ emergency text message like the one I will send you during a disaster – please respond with your name to let me know you got this message”. That’s all you need to do. Check back next week for more on staying safe during emergencies and be sure to ‘share my Blog’.

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