Family emergency plan: contacts, routes and meeting points

Make one page everyone can follow

A family emergency plan turns difficult decisions into simple instructions agreed in advance. Keep it short, readable under stress and usable without mobile coverage. Put a copy in each go bag, one at home and a current photo on each phone.

Family emergency plan template

Complete the fields together. Children should know their full name, address and which trusted adult to approach without relying on memorizing every number.

• Full home address, access details and the people and animals in the household.
• Meeting point A near home and point B outside the neighbourhood.
• An out-of-area contact with name, relationship and international-format phone number.
• 112 in Spain, healthcare, school, carers, vet and home insurer contacts.
• Primary and alternate routes from home, work and school.
• Allergies, treatment, mobility, communication and other urgent needs.

Assign responsibilities and backups

Decide who helps children or dependent people, collects medication, manages pets and updates the out-of-area contact. Give every task a backup. Nobody should delay evacuation to retrieve objects; if the assigned person is absent, the backup takes over.

Communicate when separated

Agree on a short message: who you are, where you are, whether you are safe and where you are going. If calls fail, try a message and conserve battery. Children should remain at their school or safe location until released to an authorised person or directed by officials.

Practise and review

Run a short drill twice a year and after changes to home, school, treatment or carers. Walk to the nearby meeting point, check that everyone can use exits and pet carriers, and record what failed without introducing smoke, candles or other simulated hazards.