Build a family emergency plan and an offline emergency card
Emergencies are bad times to search for a phone number or remember an allergy. A little preparation, written down once, helps you and anyone who has to help you.
What your plan should cover
- Who to call first, and a backup contact outside your area.
- Allergies, current medications and key health information.
- Where important documents, insurance and money information are kept.
- Care instructions for children, older relatives and pets.
- A meeting point and what to do if you are separated.
Use what your iPhone already offers
iPhone's Health app has a Medical ID that can be reached from the Emergency screen without unlocking. An emergency card in an app is a good complement, especially for sharing details about several people.
Build a kit
Government guidance such as Ready.gov in the United States and Get Prepared in Canada lists basics like water, food, a flashlight, a radio, a first-aid kit and copies of documents, with extras for children, older adults and pets.
How Family Ready approaches it
Family Ready: Emergency Plan is a free iPhone app from Honest Little Apps. Everything below comes from its App Store description.
- A free Emergency Card holds who to call first, allergies, current medications and health information, saved on your iPhone.
- It opens in Emergency Mode without internet once the phone is unlocked, with a high-contrast, large-text screen and no ads.
- Tapping a contact starts a call yourself; the app never calls or messages anyone automatically.
- A household plan has plain-language sections for contacts, health, documents, money and insurance, home, dependants and pets, care instructions and digital life.
- An editable kit checklist is based on Ready.gov and Get Prepared (Canada) guidance.
- You can print a dated Emergency Snapshot PDF for free.
See Family Ready on the App Store Read the full Family Ready page
Questions
What should be on an emergency card?
Who to call first, allergies, current medications and important health information. Family Ready lets you make one for yourself or someone you care for, with their permission.
Does an emergency card work without internet?
Family Ready's App Store description says its Emergency Card is saved on your iPhone and opens in Emergency Mode without internet once the phone is unlocked.
Is Family Ready free?
Family Ready: Emergency Plan is listed free on the App Store; the description mentions an optional Family Ready Plus. Check the listing for details.
