How to communicate during an emergency situation

Emergency situations call for having quick and appropriate reflexes with regard to communications. Whether it be to issue a danger warning, reassure loved ones or post information on social media, every action taken during an emergency is significant.

This page includes advice and recommendations for planning the necessary communications and staying informed and connected during emergency situations and disasters.

In the event of an emergency, it is perfectly normal to want to contact your loved ones to either reassure them or to check that they are safe. This being said, avoid overloading the available communication systems, which should be reserved for use by emergency services. Also remember that some communication systems may have sustained damages. 

We recommend that you: 

• rely on text messages, e-mail or social media to contact your loved ones, as these systems have less of an impact on telecommunication networks than do vocal communications (e.g., telephone calls);
• turn to Web applications specifically designed to find loved ones in emergency situations (these include Facebook’s Safety Check feature, the Google Person Finder site or the Red Cross’ Restoring Family Links program.

Follow these recommendations if you absolutely need to make a telephone call:

• Be brief and only give essential information.
• Avoid sending photos or videos to prevent your cell phone battery from draining too quickly.
• Use a landline whenever possible, to avoid overloading mobile networks.

Prepare a list of contact details, including those for your loved ones, employer and service providers; this will allow you to reach them quickly should the need arise.

Keep a list of telephone numbers for local emergency services such as the fire department and the police, to be able to quickly contact them should the 911 service be disabled or otherwise unavailable.

Check if your telephone or telephone service is connected to your home’s electricity supply; if this is the case, they will not function in the event of a power outage. If necessary, consider getting a backup or emergency power supply system.

Foresee options for obtaining information in the event of a failure impacting your mobile network or home Internet service. Put together a communication kit that includes:

• a mobile phone charger;
• a portable backup power supply for wireless devices;
• a battery-powered, solar-powered or crank handle radio.

Should severe weather conditions be announced for your region, fully charge all of your devices ahead of time, including your smartphone and laptop.

Conserve the battery power of your cellular phone and mobile devices (tablet, smart watch, etc.) by following these tips:

• Dim the brightness of your device screens.
• Activate the airplane mode feature on your cellular phone and mobile devices.
• Close all open applications on your devices and disable the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and location services functions.

When a disaster strikes, people tend to quickly call 911, which can unfortunately swamp the phone lines and emergency resources. 

Only call 911 if:

• your life or someone else’s life is in danger;
• you witnessed an accident or a crime;
• you need to report a fire.

When calling 911:

• Stay on the line even if the connection is not immediate; it can take up to a few seconds in some instances;
• If you cannot reach anyone, hang up and wait at least 10 seconds before calling again;
• Do not hang up if you called 911 by mistake; instead, let the person who answers know that you are not in danger.

There are numerous ways of reporting non-urgent situations during a disaster, notably:

• By calling the number provided by the municipality specifically for this purpose;
• By reaching out to 211, 311 or 511 services;
• By sending text messages or e-mails, or posting on the social media pages of the municipality or service you want to reach.

The social media pages of official organizations are one of the main sources of information during emergencies. Organizations use them to provide updates on a given situation, share any special instructions or recommendations in force and post information on the programs and services available to individuals or enterprises impacted by the events.

Service providers also use their social media pages and Web site to inform their clients of major service interruptions.

Share the safety instructions and recommendations in force posted on social media by the authorities with persons you know who are impacted by the events.

Only share information obtained from official sources such as:  

• Federal, provincial or municipal authorities;  
• Emergency services (police, fire department);
• Para-public agencies or government organizations (Hydro-Québec, SOPFEU [Forest Fire Protection Corporation]);
• Reputed volunteer organizations (Red Cross).

Avoid sharing information from unknown sources.

Do not share information that is unverified, doubtful or useless in light of the circumstances. Inaccurate information can delay rescue operations and put people’s lives at risk.

Refrain from posting or sharing photos or videos depicting victims or persons in distress; in addition to constituting a violation of privacy, this could also be shocking for certain viewers.

With regard to a terrorist attack or an individual brandishing a weapon, avoid posting photos or videos that could prove helpful to persons who are complicit. Instead, send them to police authorities.

Avoid posting or sharing nominative information that allows a person to be identified (e.g., the name and contact details of a disaster victim).

If you need to take time off work after being directly impacted by a disaster, notify your employer within a reasonable timeframe to make the necessary arrangements.

Notify your service providers of the situation and agree on the following steps.

Should you be unable to pay one or more bills issued by service providers or creditors due to an emergency situation, contact the customer service department of each service provider or of your financial institution to reach an agreement.

The presence of media representatives following a disaster is normal. They have a code of conduct governing their work in such circumstances. As a disaster victim or witness, you may be asked for an interview. You can choose to respond in one of the following ways:

• Agree to be interviewed, knowing that your statements as well as the images and sound clips of the interview become the property of the media organization, which can use them at its sole discretion.
• Agree to be interviewed, but contingent on conditions you determine, such as prohibiting the media organization from identifying or naming you, circulating your image or broadcasting your statements or voice.
• Politely refuse the request.