Chapter 8. Choosing Meeting Places and an Out-of-Area Contact
During an emergency, family members may not be together. One person may be at work, another at school, and someone else may be shopping, traveling, or attending an appointment. Roads could be closed, cellular networks may be congested, and the family home may be inaccessible. Selecting meeting places and an out-of-area contact in advance gives everyone a simple way to reconnect.
Households in Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon, Danville, Sunol, and nearby Tri-Valley communities should identify at least two meeting places: one close to home and another outside the neighborhood. They should also select a trusted person who lives outside the immediate area to serve as the household’s communication contact.
These arrangements should be included in the family emergency and evacuation plan, reviewed regularly, and practiced by everyone in the household.
Choose a Meeting Place Near Your Home
The first meeting place should be near the home but far enough away to remain safe during a house fire, gas leak, earthquake, or another localized emergency. It might be:
- A trusted neighbor’s driveway
- A community mailbox area
- A recognizable street corner
- A nearby park entrance
- A clubhouse or other familiar landmark
Avoid selecting a place that would require anyone to cross a busy road, enter a gated area without access, or stand close to utility equipment, large trees, walls, or structures that could become hazardous. The location should be easy for children to remember and accessible to family members with mobility needs.
Everyone should understand when this location would be used. For example, family members might meet there after leaving the house because of smoke, fire, or a carbon-monoxide alarm.
Never return to a dangerous building to look for someone. Go to the designated location, account for the people already outside, and tell responding firefighters or law-enforcement personnel if someone may still be inside.
Select a Location Outside the Neighborhood
The second meeting place should be beyond the immediate neighborhood. This location may be useful if an evacuation, road closure, hazardous-material incident, or other emergency prevents family members from returning home.
Possible locations include:
- A relative’s or trusted friend’s home
- A familiar shopping center
- A library or community facility
- A place of worship
- A well-known public landmark
- Another accessible location several miles away
Choose a location everyone can identify without depending entirely on a navigation application. Record its full name, address, telephone number, and at least one practical way to reach it under normal conditions.
Consider whether the location can accommodate children, older adults, pets, service animals, wheelchairs, or other household needs. If choosing a private home, obtain the resident’s permission and discuss whether the household could stay there temporarily.
A preselected meeting place is not a guaranteed evacuation destination. Fire, flooding, police activity, road damage, traffic, or official closures may make it unsafe or inaccessible. Never travel toward the meeting place if doing so would take you toward danger or conflict with an evacuation order. Follow current directions from public-safety personnel and use the meeting place only when conditions and official instructions permit.
Choose an Out-of-Area Contact
Select a dependable relative or friend who lives outside the Tri-Valley or, preferably, outside the wider area likely to be affected by the same emergency. That person can become a central communication point if household members cannot contact one another directly.
Ask the person before listing them in the plan. Explain that family members may contact them to report:
- Their current location
- Whether they are safe
- Who is with them
- Where they intend to go
- Whether they require assistance
- When they expect to provide another update
The contact can record this information and share it with other family members. This reduces the need for everyone to make repeated calls during a stressful situation.
Choose someone who is generally dependable, comfortable receiving messages, and able to keep information organized. Consider naming a backup in case the primary contact is unavailable. Review the contact’s telephone number at least twice a year.
Ready.gov recommends including household contacts, meeting places, medical information, and an out-of-town contact in a family emergency communication plan.
Make the Plan Accessible to Everyone
Every household member should know the names and locations of both meeting places and the telephone number of the out-of-area contact. Do not assume that everyone will be able to retrieve the information from a mobile phone.
Place printed emergency contact cards in:
- Wallets and purses
- Children’s backpacks
- Go-bags
- Vehicles
- Mobility-device storage compartments
- Caregiver information folders
Young children should know which trusted adult to contact, but they should continue following the instructions of teachers, childcare providers, or emergency personnel. Parents should also ensure that schools and childcare programs have current emergency contacts and authorized pickup information.
Practice using the plan. Ask each person where they would go after leaving the house, where they would meet if the neighborhood were inaccessible, and whom they would contact if separated. A plan is more useful when family members can remember it without searching through several documents.
Communicate Briefly and Preserve Battery Power
Text messages may sometimes be delivered when voice calls cannot connect because they require less network capacity. A useful emergency text might say:
“Safe at Dublin High with Maya. Going to Aunt Priya’s if permitted. Will update at 6 p.m.”
Include your name, location, condition, companions, intended destination, and next planned update. Avoid lengthy conversations, repeated calls, large attachments, videos, or unnecessary group messages. These can consume battery power and add to network congestion.
Keep a portable charger in each go-bag and reduce battery use by lowering screen brightness and closing unnecessary applications. However, continue monitoring official emergency notifications.
Helpful Hint
Text messages may sometimes work when telephone calls do not. Keep messages brief and avoid unnecessary communications that consume battery power. Tell your out-of-area contact where you are, whether you are safe, who is with you, and where you plan to go.
Important Safety Reminder
Use meeting places as advance planning tools, not fixed evacuation destinations. During an emergency, follow current instructions from authorized public-safety agencies and emergency personnel. Never enter a closed area or travel toward danger simply to reach a planned meeting location.
Important Preparedness and Safety Notice
This chapter provides general preparedness education, not real-time emergency instructions. Conditions, evacuation zones, routes, shelters, road closures, and public-safety directions can change rapidly. During an emergency, consult current information from authorized public agencies and follow all instructions issued by emergency officials. Call 911 for an immediate threat to life, active fire, serious injury, crime in progress, or another urgent emergency.
Leave a Reply