Not being able to contact friends or family who are in a destination where there’s been a natural disaster, accident, or terror attack can be stressful. There’s a huge sense of relief when you finally do get in touch. And being able to do so does depend on where your loved ones are and the situation at hand; contacting someone during an extreme weather event, when electricity and phone towers may be down, can prove more difficult than confirming that someone is OK following a terror attack or incident.
Here are some tips on how you can contact your loved ones during a crisis and a few steps you can take to make it easier.
Go straight to your phone and social media
Reaching out via a message or call will be the first step when hoping to find out if friends or family are OK in the midst of an attack, weather event, or any number of potentially disruptive or worrisome incidents. The person on whom you’re checking may not have enough phone service to answer a call, so if they don’t pick up, be sure to send a message.
Facebook’s “Safety Check” feature, part of its Crisis Response initiative, is an easy way for users to mark themselves as “safe” during natural and man-made disasters. For this to work, both you (or whoever is checking) and the person you’re concerned about need to have Facebook and be able to access it.
An international phone plan is a good idea
Kate Doty, managing director of Geographic Expeditions in San Francisco, said she always advises clients to make sure they have some kind of international plan on their phone before heading out. This will allow you to make and receive calls, and you can add a data package to stay in touch using WhatsApp, email, or social media sites.
But what if internet access or phone service isn’t available, either because phone towers are overwhelmed, power lines are down, or social media sites or apps have been blocked?
Designate an emergency contact
Doty asks that all of her clients provide emergency contacts before heading out, people who the agency can get in touch with as soon as Geographic Expeditions tracks down travelers. She also recommends making sure those contacts have Geographic Expeditions’s number, which the agency answers at any time.
“This is an argument for booking with a travel professional,” added Doty, noting that in the event of any kind of crisis, Geographic Expeditions is able to connect with its ground team and quickly locate clients. The agency can then communicate that information to friends and family.
Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, co-owner and co-president of New York–based Valerie Wilson Travel, recommends clients have “one point person at home to call and [who can] let other family members know [they’re OK],” adding that the key is “having a plan ahead of time and knowing how to execute it, because when emotions are high, people often don’t think clearly.” Make sure your emergency contact is someone who will actually answer their phone and, ideally, keep a cool head.
Register with the U.S. State Department
This one is only applicable when traveling abroad, but Doty, Wilson-Buttigieg, and Eric Maryanov, president of All-Travel, all suggest travelers sign up with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Upon enrolling, travelers are asked to provide their contact information while abroad, which helps the U.S. embassy find and contact them and provide assistance in the event of an emergency. And, after signing up, travelers receive safety and security alerts from the U.S. embassy in whichever country or countries they’re registered.
The U.S. State Department also has an entire page devoted to suggestions for how to locate loved ones in a crisis abroad, which includes contacting the hotel, school, or organization where they’re staying or working; calling the local police; and reaching out to international aid organizations.
Share your itinerary with someone
This one will only work with your friends or family who are advance planners or who have used a travel agent. But if possible, have them forward you their itinerary before they leave. That way, that person or group will have several contacts at their fingertips to help track down their friends and relatives, including a travel agency if applicable, and any hotels they’re staying in.
Above all, don’t panic
This is easier said than done, but it’s essential to remain calm. Before you do anything, take a deep breath. Doty acknowledges that although there can be worrisome gaps in communication, establishing several avenues for obtaining information in advance of travel will make it easier to contact friends and family in the event of an emergency.
This article was originally published in 2019 and most recently updated on October 1, 2024, with current information. Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.
