Survival guides · Family & Communication

Find Your Family After

WHEN TO USE THISYou're apart and the phones are spotty. Don't drive into the danger to search.

1. Check in with your contact

   • Your out-of-area contact is the hub. Everyone reports to them.
   • Text — it gets through when calls don't.
   • No service at all? Go to your meeting point and wait.

2. Go to the meeting points — in order

   • Near home → neighborhood → out of the area.
   • Moving on? Leave a dated note where it can be seen.
   • Kids with you, the other parent missing? Tell local emergency officials or police.

3. Tell people you're safe

   • When you have service: text your out-of-area contact first.
   • Mark yourself safe on social media if it's working.
   • Looking for someone? The Red Cross helps reunite families — redcross.org/find, or your local chapter.

4. Someone still missing

   • Check shelters and hospitals.
   • Give police a description and a photo.
   • The FEMA app finds open shelters — or text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362.
   • Stay put where you can be found — don't drive around searching.

Sources: American Red Cross Safe and Well · FEMA National Emergency Family Registry

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.