Communicating during an emergency.
After a disaster, ensuring the safety of your loved ones is a top priority. However, local phone lines may be damaged and overwhelmed with calls making it difficult to connect. It might take several hours, or even up to 24 hours or longer for your loved ones to access a working phone line and contact you.
Tips for communicating during an emergency
Before an emergency
- Choose a relative or friend who lives out-of-province to be your out-of-area contact.
- Print and fill out an out-of-area contact card with their name and phone number for each family member to carry in their wallet, purse, or backpack.
- Save the out-of-area contact’s number in your cell phone’s contact list – the stress of a disaster may make it difficult to remember phone numbers.
- Inform family and friends outside BC to call your out-of-area contact to share information about you and your family after a disaster occurs.
- Sign up for Direct Deposit and electronic banking so you can access your funds.
During an emergency
- If there is an emergency, start by contacting your out-of-area contact.
- Although local phone systems may be tied-up after a disaster, long distance circuits are often unaffected and can be used to provide updates and check on your loved ones.
- If you have been evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, use it to forward calls to your cell phone.
- Limit non-emergency phone calls.
If possible, use text messaging, email or social media. - Report how you are, where you are, or where you plan to be.