Creating a Family Earthquake Communication Plan: Complete Guide 2025

At 5:12 AM on January 17, 1994, the Northridge earthquake jolted Los Angeles awake. Within seconds, millions of people were trying to do the same thing: call loved ones to make sure they were okay. Sarah, a nurse at a hospital in Van Nuys, tried to reach her husband at home and her two teenage children at their respective friends' houses. Her cell phone showed bars but calls wouldn't connect. She tried again. Busy signal. Again. Busy signal. The circuits were overloaded—millions of simultaneous calls had crashed the entire cellular network.

For three agonizing hours, Sarah had no idea if her family was safe. Her husband was trying to reach her but couldn't get through. Her daughter, stranded at a friend's house with a collapsed chimney blocking the driveway, couldn't reach anyone. Her son walked two miles home from his friend's house because he had no way to communicate where he was or get picked up.

The family finally reunited at 9:00 AM when Sarah finished her emergency shift and drove home, not knowing what she'd find. Everyone was safe. But those three hours of not knowing—of imagining worst-case scenarios while unable to communicate—were among the most stressful of their lives. And it was completely preventable.

If the family had established a communication plan beforehand—an out-of-state contact person who could relay messages, a designated meeting place, a protocol for what to do if separated—they could have avoided hours of fear and uncertainty. They learned this lesson and created a plan. When the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes struck 25 years later, their plan worked perfectly: within 15 minutes, everyone had checked in with their out-of-state contact (Sarah's sister in Arizona), and the family knew everyone was safe.

This comprehensive guide covers how to create a family earthquake communication plan that works when local networks fail, choosing and using out-of-state emergency contacts, establishing multiple meeting locations, creating wallet cards and laminated reference materials, special considerations for children at school and elderly family members, text messaging strategies when voice calls fail, using social media check-in features, coordinating with extended family and neighbors, practicing your plan through drills, and updating contact information as circumstances change.

The Out-of-State Contact Strategy

Why Out-of-State Contacts Work

The paradox of earthquake communication:

• Local calls (within earthquake-affected area): Network overloaded, don't connect
• Long-distance calls (to other states): Use different network paths, usually work fine
• Everyone in affected area can call same out-of-state person
• Out-of-state contact relays messages between local family members
• Proven strategy in every major earthquake since 1989 Loma Prieta

How it works in practice:

1. Earthquake strikes Los Angeles
2. Wife tries calling husband—doesn't connect (local network overloaded)
3. Wife calls sister in Phoenix—call goes through (out-of-state call works)
4. Wife tells sister: "I'm safe at work, trying to reach Tom and kids"
5. Husband calls sister in Phoenix—call goes through
6. Husband tells sister: "I'm safe at home, kids at school, trying to reach Sarah"
7. Sister relays to wife: "Tom is safe at home"
8. Sister relays to husband: "Sarah is safe at work"
9. Family coordinated within 20 minutes instead of 3+ hours

Choosing Your Out-of-State Contact

Ideal characteristics:

• Lives at least 500+ miles away: Outside earthquake-affected area (different phone network)
• Reliable and available: Likely to be reachable during work hours and evenings
• Familiar with your family: Knows family members' names, where they work/attend school
• Willing to serve as contact: Understands role and commits to being available after earthquake
• Has stable contact information: Unlikely to change phone number frequently

Good choices:

• Sibling or parent living in different state
• Close friend who relocated to another state
• Adult child attending college out-of-state
• Cousin or extended family member in different region

Consider having TWO out-of-state contacts for redundancy:

• Primary contact (first choice)
• Backup contact (if primary unreachable)
• Ideally in different states for additional redundancy

What to Tell Your Out-of-State Contact

Provide them with:

• List of all family members: Names, ages, where they typically are during weekdays/weekends
• Your addresses: Home, work, children's schools
• Contact numbers: Cell phones, work numbers, school office numbers
• Meeting locations: Your designated family meeting places (discussed below)
• Any special circumstances: Medical conditions, mobility limitations, who picks up kids from school

Explain their role:

• "If major earthquake happens in our area, we'll all try to call you"
• "Take messages from each family member about their status and location"
• "Relay information between us since local calls won't work"
• "Keep trying to reach anyone you haven't heard from"
• "Stay available for several hours after earthquake"

Establishing Meeting Locations

Why You Need Multiple Meeting Places

Scenario planning:

• Home is accessible: Everyone goes home (ideal but may not be possible)
• Home damaged or unsafe: Need alternative meeting place nearby
• Neighborhood evacuated: Need meeting place outside immediate area
• Separated during work/school hours: Need meeting place near work/school

Three-location strategy:

1. Primary location: Your home (if safe to enter)
2. Neighborhood location: Nearby park, school, library, or landmark
3. Regional location: Location outside neighborhood in case area evacuated

Choosing Neighborhood Meeting Location

Criteria:

• Within walking distance: 1/2 to 1 mile from home maximum
• Open space preferred: Park, playground, school field (away from buildings that might collapse)
• Obvious landmark: Everyone knows where it is
• Public space: Accessible 24/7
• Not in high-hazard zone: Not under power lines, near gas stations, below hillside that could slide

Good examples:

• Local park with playground (meet at specific equipment: "the red slide")
• School athletic field (meet at specific location: "home team bleachers")
• Large church or community center parking lot
• Intersection of two major streets (specific corner)

Be specific about exact location:

• Not just "Riverside Park" but "Riverside Park, northwest corner by the oak tree"
• Not just "Lincoln Elementary" but "Lincoln Elementary, baseball field home plate"
• Specificity prevents confusion when family members arrive at different times

Choosing Regional Meeting Location

Criteria:

• 5-10 miles from home: Outside immediate neighborhood
• Accessible by car: Assumes ability to drive (most useful if home neighborhood evacuated)
• Large, obvious location: Shopping center, major park, well-known landmark
• Parking available: Space for family members to park and wait

Good examples:

• Large shopping center parking lot (specific store entrance: "Target north entrance")
• Major park or recreation area (specific parking lot or picnic area)
• Highway rest area or park-and-ride lot
• Well-known restaurant or business complex

Work and School Meeting Locations

If earthquake happens during work/school hours:

• Immediate safety priority: Stay where you are or evacuate to designated area
• Children will be held at school—schools have reunification procedures
• Adults at work should check in with out-of-state contact
• Plan assumes everyone goes to home meeting locations after leaving work/school

Special considerations for children at school:

• Schools will NOT release children unless picked up by authorized adult
• Ensure school has updated emergency contact list
• Designate backup pickup person (neighbor, relative) in case parents can't reach school
• Schools may be damaged—have plan for where children will be taken if school evacuated (school district has protocols)
• Teach children: "Wait at school, parent or authorized person will pick you up"

Creating Wallet Cards and Reference Materials

Why Physical Cards Matter

The smartphone problem:

• Everyone stores contact info in phones
• Phone battery dies after earthquake (no power to charge)
• Phone damaged in earthquake
• Can't access contacts when needed most

Physical card advantages:

• Always accessible (wallet or purse)
• No battery required
• Can be shared with others (first responders, neighbors)
• Survives phone damage

What to Include on Emergency Contact Card

Card specifications:

• Credit card size (3.375" × 2.125") fits in wallet
• Laminated to protect from water damage
• Print on waterproof paper if available
• Make multiple copies—one for each family member's wallet
• Additional copies in car glove compartment, emergency kit, work desk

Home Emergency Information Sheet

More detailed reference for home:

• Full contact information for all family members
• Work addresses and phone numbers
• School names, addresses, office numbers
• Children's teachers' names
• Doctors' names and phone numbers
• Medications each family member takes
• Medical conditions or allergies
• Pet information (type, name, medical needs)
• Insurance policy numbers (home, health, auto)
• Utility shutoff locations and procedures

Where to keep:

• Refrigerator (emergency personnel check here)
• Emergency kit
• Car glove compartment
• Email copy to yourself and out-of-state contact

Communication Methods When Networks Fail

Text Messaging Priority

Why texts work when calls don't:

• SMS uses much less bandwidth than voice call
• Texts queue and send when network capacity available
• May be delayed 15 minutes to several hours, but eventually deliver
• Network prioritizes texts over voice when overloaded

Text message strategy:

1. Keep messages SHORT: "Sarah safe at work" (not long explanation)
2. Send once and wait: Resending clogs network further
3. Include your name and status: "Tom - safe at home with kids"
4. Text to out-of-state contact first: More likely to get through than local
5. Text to multiple family members: One may receive when others don't

Pre-composed messages:

• Save draft texts in your phone for common scenarios
• "I am safe" (send to all contacts with one tap)
• "I am injured, need help at [location]"
• "Going to [meeting location], will wait there"
• Faster to send pre-written message than type during emergency

Social Media Check-In Features

Facebook Safety Check:

• Facebook activates after major disasters
• Allows you to mark yourself "safe"
• Notifies all your friends you're okay
• Friends can check who has marked themselves safe
• Works via data connection (may work when voice/SMS don't)

Other platforms:

• Twitter/X: Post status update
• Instagram: Story or post about your safety
• Google Person Finder: Database for finding people after disasters

Advantages:

• One post reaches many people simultaneously
• Friends/family can see status without needing to contact you
• Reduces call volume if extended family knows you're safe

Limitations:

• Requires internet data connection
• Not everyone uses social media
• Doesn't provide two-way communication for coordination
• Should supplement, not replace, direct communication plan

Landline Telephone Considerations

Traditional landlines (copper wire):

• May work when cell phones don't (separate network)
• Powered by phone company (may work during power outage)
• Fewer people calling on landlines = less congestion
• Good option if you still have one

VoIP/Cable phone:

• Requires power and internet connection
• Usually fails during power outage unless you have UPS backup
• Less reliable than traditional landline

Strategy:

• If you have traditional landline, include number on emergency card
• Teach children how to use landline (many young children have never used one)
• Keep corded phone (doesn't require power) in case of outage

Special Considerations for Different Family Situations

Young Children (Pre-K through Elementary)

What children need to know:

• Your phone number: Memorized, not just stored in device
• Out-of-state contact name and number: "Call Grandma in Texas if you can't reach Mom or Dad"
• Home address: In case they need to tell first responders where they live
• Meeting location: "If we can't get home, go to Riverside Park by the red slide"
• School procedures: "Stay at school, parent will pick you up"

School considerations:

• Update emergency contact list at school every year
• Include backup pickup people (neighbors, relatives nearby)
• Give school copy of child's emergency contact card
• Discuss with child what happens if you can't pick them up immediately
• Many schools have 72-hour emergency supplies for students

Practice with children:

• Quiz them on contact numbers weekly
• Walk to neighborhood meeting location together
• Role-play scenarios: "What do you do if earthquake happens at school?"
• Make it age-appropriate—don't scare them, but prepare them

Teenagers and Young Adults

Advantages:

• Have cell phones and know how to use them
• More independent and capable during emergencies
• Can help younger siblings

Challenges:

• May be in many different locations (school, sports, friends' houses, work)
• Less likely to carry physical wallet card (rely on phone)
• May not take communication plan seriously

Strategies:

• Ensure contact information programmed into phone AND written down somewhere
• Discuss plan seriously—emphasize you need to know they're safe
• Include their input in planning (more likely to follow plan they helped create)
• Give them responsibility in family plan (checking on younger siblings, etc.)
• Provide emergency cash (in case ATMs don't work and they need transportation)

Elderly or Disabled Family Members

Additional considerations:

• Mobility limitations: May not be able to evacuate quickly or walk to meeting locations
• Medical needs: May require medication, oxygen, dialysis, etc.
• Communication challenges: Hearing/vision impairment may complicate phone use
• Technology challenges: May not be comfortable with cell phones or texting

Planning strategies:

• Designate specific person responsible for checking on them
• Include neighbors in plan (check on elderly neighbor if family can't reach them)
• Ensure they have emergency supplies including medications
• Consider medical alert system (LifeAlert, etc.) with emergency button
• Simpler communication tools (landline phone with large buttons)
• Written instructions in large print near phone

Pets in Communication Plan

Include pets in evacuation planning:

• Pet carriers accessible and each pet has collar with ID
• Photos of pets (to make "lost pet" flyers if separated)
• Microchip information
• Emergency supplies for pets (food, water, medications for 72 hours)

Communication considerations:

• Agree family won't leave without pets if safe to retrieve them
• If forced to evacuate without pets, note where pets were left
• Contact animal control or humane society about found/lost pets
• Many shelters won't accept pets—have plan for pet-friendly shelter or hotel

Coordinating with Neighbors and Extended Family

Neighborhood Network

Why neighbors matter:

• Geographically closest to you during earthquake
• May be able to help when family members are far away
• Can check on each other's homes if evacuated
• Share resources and information

What to discuss with neighbors:

• Exchange contact information (include out-of-state contacts)
• Identify neighbors with special skills (medical, construction, etc.)
• Agree to check on elderly or disabled neighbors
• Designate neighborhood meeting point
• Consider creating neighborhood communication tree

Communication tree structure:

• One person calls/texts two neighbors
• Each of those neighbors calls two more
• Exponential spread ensures everyone gets message
• Useful for coordinating neighborhood response or sharing information

Extended Family Coordination

If you have family members throughout region:

• All use same out-of-state contact (coordination point)
• Or create family group text/chat for emergencies
• Agree on check-in protocol after earthquake
• Identify who lives in high-risk areas and may need help

Family group communication tools:

• WhatsApp group
• Facebook Messenger group
• Group text message
• Set up BEFORE disaster (not during)

Practicing Your Communication Plan

Why Practice Matters

Written plan vs. practiced plan:

• Having plan on paper doesn't mean family remembers it
• Stress of real emergency causes people to forget procedures
• Practice creates muscle memory and confidence
• Reveals problems with plan before real emergency

Practice frequency:

• Full drill: Twice per year minimum (spring and fall)
• Quick review: Quarterly (family meeting to review contact info and procedures)
• After any changes (family members change jobs, move, change phone numbers)

How to Conduct Communication Drill

Basic drill procedure:

1. Set scenario: "Pretend M6.5 earthquake just struck at 2:00 PM on a weekday"
2. Scatter family: Each person goes to different room or location (simulating being separated)
3. Execute plan: Each person attempts to contact out-of-state contact (actually call or text them if they've agreed to participate)
4. Check in: Everyone reports their status to out-of-state contact
5. Coordinate: Use out-of-state contact to relay messages and agree on meeting location
6. Reunite: Everyone goes to designated meeting location (actually walk or drive there)
7. Debrief: Discuss what worked, what didn't, what needs to change

Advanced drill variations:

• Communication failure simulation: Pretend cell phones don't work, must use alternative methods
• Daytime drill: Conduct when family actually dispersed (work, school) and practice checking in
• School pickup drill: Practice actual pickup procedure at children's schools
• Nighttime drill: Practice at night to simulate late-night earthquake

Learning from Drills

Common problems discovered during drills:

• Family members don't remember contact numbers (need better memorization or wallet cards)
• Out-of-state contact unreachable (need backup contact)
• Meeting location unclear or inaccessible (need different location)
• Takes much longer than expected to coordinate (adjust expectations)
• Children confused or scared (need better age-appropriate explanation)

Updating plan based on drill results:

• Document problems encountered
• Discuss solutions as family
• Update written plan with improvements
• Practice again to validate changes

Maintaining and Updating Your Plan

When to Update

Immediate updates required when:

• Family member changes phone number
• Family member changes job or school
• You move to new home (all meeting locations change)
• Out-of-state contact moves or changes number
• Children age up to new school or gain more independence
• Family composition changes (birth, marriage, divorce)

Regular reviews:

• Annual full review of entire plan (beginning of year good time)
• Update wallet cards with new information
• Verify out-of-state contact info still correct
• Check that all family members still have current cards

Keeping Plan Accessible

Multiple locations for plan documents:

• Physical copies:
  • Refrigerator (master copy)
  • Emergency kit
  • Each car glove compartment
  • Work desk
• Digital copies:
  • Email to all family members
  • Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
  • Photos on phone (backup if phone damaged)

Conclusion: The Plan That Brings Peace of Mind

Sarah's family learned their lesson from the 1994 Northridge earthquake: the agony of not knowing if loved ones are safe is preventable. With a communication plan in place, the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes caused stress but not panic. Everyone knew what to do, executed the plan, and within 15 minutes the whole family had checked in via their out-of-state contact.

A communication plan doesn't prevent earthquakes. But it prevents the additional trauma of separation, uncertainty, and fear that compounds the disaster.

Your plan needs just a few essential elements:

• Out-of-state contact: Someone outside the earthquake area who can relay messages
• Meeting locations: Places to reunite if home isn't accessible
• Written contact information: Wallet cards that survive phone failure
• Family agreement: Everyone knows and commits to the plan
• Regular practice: Drills that make the plan automatic

The best time to create a communication plan was before the last earthquake. The second-best time is right now. Spend an hour this weekend setting up your plan. When the ground shakes, you'll be grateful you did.

For more earthquake preparedness resources, explore our guides on emergency kits, post-earthquake safety, and home protection. Monitor seismic activity on our real-time earthquake map.