Earthquakes in Haiti, earthquakes in Chile, tsunamis in Hawaii (almost!) They’re more and more frequent, these ravages of nature. Once an earthquake or other disaster hits a town or country, one of the local news stories we always see is how people here are trying to reach people there that they know – family, friends, missionaries, co-workers, etc.
Remember when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans? There were even children separated from parents, neither knowing if the other was alive or where the other was.
Let’s take this time to prevent such communication breakdowns within our families, should something so devastating happen to us. In fact, it wouldn’t even have to be a natural disaster. What if a terrorist attack or major chemical spill quarantined off your neighborhood and/or closed lines of communication? Cell towers may be inoperative, phone lines may be jammed, you may have lost your cell phone in the chaos.
Choose a friend or family member in another state and use them as your emergency liaison. Make sure each person in your family has the liaison’s phone number. In the event of a disaster, everyone call the liaison as soon as you’re able to let them know you’re okay and where you are. They can be the focal point to reunite you all again.