During an emergency, most people will try to call their family and friends to give them an indication of their personal situation. However, telephone lines have not been designed to take the sudden influx of calls emanating from such situations. The best way for you to help in increasing the likelihood of providing information to your loved ones is by establishing an out-of-town contact.

The chosen person will become the person designated for two roles.

First, to reunite every member of the family, this person will receive calls from each member telling them where they are located in Brampton or where they are heading. This message is then transmitted to all other members of the family so they can determine a gathering point.

The other role is to call all other members of the extended family to inform them on your status. By having one messenger outside of the emergency area, you save many calls from other worried relatives. Make sure you inform your out-of-town contact of your choice and of what you expect them to do during an emergency.​​​​​​