Pick one out-of-area person to relay messages. Write down two meeting locations and the route to each.
Make it practical
Practice a short status message: safe, location, destination, next check-in. Brief texts may get through congestion, but every method can fail. Make sure the plan also works without a phone.
Agree on the details
- Choose a nearby meeting place outside the home for a home-fire escape and another outside the neighborhood for wider disruption.
- Write the out-of-area contact’s number on cards carried by household members. Ask that person to be your relay before relying on them.
- Decide who assists dependents, who notifies the relay, and how to report a change of destination.
Use a short message
A useful message is: “We are safe. At the library shelter. Staying here for now. Next check-in this evening.” Avoid repeated calls that drain power when networks are congested. Set realistic check-in expectations; a missed message is not proof of harm. Follow school, workplace, and local reunification directions rather than traveling through an unsafe area to meet a preset schedule.
Sources & reading
Source check: November 1, 2026. Educational synthesis; no government affiliation. During an emergency, follow current local instructions.