"Because Brunswick County is a coastal community, it is vital for families to have a Home Emergency Communications Plan. It is critically important when you have children or elderly people living in your home. You need to be prepared."
Randy Thompson
Brunswick Emergency Service Director

Elements of a Home Emergency Plan

Developing a Home Emergency Communications Plan Results from a recent survey commissioned by AT&T and NENA (National Emergency Number Association) indicate that 68% of Americans do not have a home Emergency Communications Plan in place for when disaster strikes.

Create a "Home Base" for communications to take place in the event of an emergency.

  • Choose an area that is centrally located and easily accessible.
  • Make sure the area includes a corded, landline phone since cordless telephones will not work if the power goes out. Make sure the phone is easily within reach of children.
  • Have your physical address posted and have a pen and paper nearby to write down any applicable information if necessary.

Create Your Plan

  • Discuss with your family how to communicate and with whom.
  • Make a list of who will need to be called and put it in a central, accessible location at the home base.
  • Include friends/family members, hospitals, pharmacies, family doctors and insurance agent information.
  • Keep a copy of the list with your emergency supplies.
  • Have emergency contact information programmed into your home phone's speed dial (if applicable) and wireless phones.

Educate your children on how and when to dial 9-1-1

  • Discuss emergency preparedness with your children.
  • Teach children how to dial 9-1-1 and explain what they should do in an emergency.
  • Allow them to practice on a non-working phone.
  • Discuss the appropriate/inappropriate scenarios for dialing 9-1-1.
  • Show them where the home base phone is located.
  • Post emergency numbers by the phone.

To prepare for the possibility of separation designate a meeting place

  • Decide on two physical locations for your family to meet in the event of an emergency - one close to the home and one away from the home.
  • Have an electronic meeting place, such as a voicemail box or place where each of you can check in and communicate with each other (such as texting/calling a friend).
  • Select someone who lives out of the area so that friends and family members will have a single point of contact.

Other Tips

  • Make an inventory of all communications items (corded landline phones, wireless phones, chargers, etc.)
  • Perform periodic communications checks to make sure everything is in working order.
  • Keep all batteries charged, including backup batteries, and a plan for re-charging if necessary.
  • Be sure to have a battery-operated radio for updates on what is taking place on the outside.
  • Stay on course and do not deviate from the plan.

Why have a corded landline phone?

  • Having a corded phone enables the caller to utilize Brunswick County's Enhanced 9-1-1 Services (E-911). E-911 allows emergency dispatchers to automatically know the location from which are calling and allows them to dispatch police, fire or rescue personnel more quickly.
  • Because corded landline phones do not depend on household electricity to work, they are able to operate even when the power is out.