Name the job beside the number
For each contact, record the role, service area, after-hours option, account or policy reference and a second way to reach them. Include household members, a trusted out-of-area contact, property manager, insurer, utility contacts, veterinarian when relevant and local emergency information. Ready.gov’s planning guidance recommends choosing a communication plan and an out-of-town contact. Local alert and emergency directions always take priority during an incident. Do not place passwords, full account numbers or other sensitive records on a paper list that travels with the household. Instead, note where securely stored records can be found and who is authorized to access them. A property owner may need different information from a tenant, and a family plan may differ from a business continuity plan.Confirm what each service can do
Ask a contractor whether the listed number is dispatch, an office line or an emergency line. Ask a neighbor whether they are comfortable holding a key, moving an item or simply receiving a message. Never assume someone has authority to enter a home, approve work or speak with an insurer. Those limits protect the helper as well as the property owner. In a hypothetical overnight leak, a list that says “plumber—after-hours, serves ZIP code; owner approval required above $500” is more useful than a bare number. It gives the caller a starting point without replacing the judgment needed at the scene. Review the list twice a year and after any move, insurance renewal or contractor change. Keep a printed copy in the go kit and a secure digital copy available to authorized people. NDR’s Planning archive offers additional recovery-planning guidance.Put a date at the top of the list and assign someone to confirm it. A contact list quickly becomes misleading when an insurer changes claim reporting instructions, a contractor changes service territory or a household member moves. Test one communication method during a routine day. Make sure the out-of-area contact knows how to relay a short status message without publishing personal information.
Include meeting locations and a decision rule for each likely scenario: shelter in place, leave the neighborhood or meet after separation. Those choices depend on official directions, not the contact list itself. A good list speeds communication; it does not override public-safety instructions or create authority where none exists.
Review the plan with every household member who may need to use it, including any caregiver or trusted neighbor assigned a role.
Practice the first call without an emergency. A short drill can reveal an outdated number, a missing address or an unclear responsibility. Give each person a simple script: state where you are, whether everyone is safe, what has happened and what help is needed. Do not rely on social-media posts as the only family communication channel during a disruption.
