Free tool
Family emergency plan builder
Fill in the blanks below and you will have a plan your household can follow without thinking: where to meet, who to call, who picks up the kids, and where everything is kept. Answers save on this device, and you can print the finished plan.
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1. Who is in the household
0/3Names, ages, and anything a helper would need to know in the first hour.
2. Where you will meet
0/3Pick two places: one just outside the home, one outside the neighborhood in case you cannot get back.
3. How you will reach each other
0/3Assume cell service is congested. Text before calling and give everyone one shared out-of-area contact.
4. School, work, and pickup
0/3Write the rules down so a child never has to guess who is coming.
5. The house itself
0/3Know how to make the building safe before you leave it.
6. Documents, money, and insurance
0/3The paperwork you will need to file a claim or prove who you are.
7. Practice and review
0/3A plan nobody has rehearsed is a plan nobody will follow.
Common questions about family emergency plans
What is a family emergency plan?
A family emergency plan is a short written document that says where your household will meet, who you will call, how you will reach each other if phones are down, and where your important information lives. It works because it removes decisions from a moment when nobody is thinking clearly.
What should a family emergency plan include?
Household members and medical needs, two meeting places, an out-of-area contact, school and workplace pickup rules, utility shutoff locations, pet arrangements, insurance and document locations, and a plan for how you will communicate if cell service fails.
Why do you need an out-of-area emergency contact?
Local phone networks get congested during a regional event, while long-distance routes often stay open. If everyone checks in with one person a few states away, that person becomes the message board for the whole family.
How often should you update your emergency plan?
Review it twice a year and any time you move, change jobs or schools, add a family member, or change phone numbers. Practice the meeting places once a year so kids remember them without being told.
Where should you keep the plan?
Print at least two copies: one in your emergency kit and one in a vehicle or with your out-of-area contact. Save a photo on each adult's phone. Do not rely on a document that only exists online.
Next steps
Pair your plan with a stocked kit, then see how your household scores across finance, health, housing, caregiving, and social support.