Emergency Information - Montana Owners Club

vickir · 06-12-2006, 02:04 PM

Steve tells me we posted something on this quite awhile ago, but with all the new people/full-timers, I think it's a subject worthy of bringing up again.

During our first few months of full-timing, we met a couple from Canada who, during the course of our somewhat lengthy conversation in the gift shop at Cave of the Winds, told us that they always make a note of where they've parked their RV to put in their wallets. As they pointed out, if we were to be in an accident, how would police/emergency workers know where "home" is and who to contact?

This made a lot of sense to us, so we developed our own Emergency Information form. It includes the name of the rv park and site number where we're parked, the dates we'll be at that location, our spouse's name and phone number and our children's names and phone numbers. In addition, I created medical information "cards" (physician's name and phone number, allergies, medicines being taken) for each of us.

As part of my set-up routine whenever we move to a new place, if we plan on leaving the park I fill out an Emergency Information form to put into our wallets where they can be easily seen in an emergency situation.

This might actually be a good practice for anyone on vacation or just away for the weekend.

Kathi · 06-12-2006, 02:52 PM

That is a really good idea. You are right even if we are just on vacation, how would the emergency crew know?

mfoss · 06-12-2006, 04:02 PM

Another thing......there might be a pet waiting in the camper!

Searchers · 06-12-2006, 04:11 PM

Excellent suggestion Vicki!

Montana Sky · 06-12-2006, 04:16 PM

I do the same thing, except my coach is idle in the same spot for 6 months. I leave my note in the coach when I go down to the marina and take the boat out for an afternoon. Since I rv and boat alone, I always make sure I let a friend in the marina know where I plan on being during the day and what time I should be back in the marina. One can never be too careful. Vicki another great topic to be brought up!!

adelmoll · 06-12-2006, 05:55 PM

Right on Vicki... Thanks for the reminder. I have been lax lately.

Helen

Imp · 06-12-2006, 07:58 PM

Good info Vickir, Bob has always carried a 3 x 5 card in his pocket with name and phone number of next of kin..just in case when he is walking something should happen. Glad it has never been used, but it sure would save some time and stress in an emergency.

vickir · 06-12-2006, 09:21 PM

Marilyn ... excellent point about a pet left at home! Not being pet owners, I hadn't thought about it. But if we were, I think it would be a good idea to add something to the form about the pets.

melnjoy · 06-13-2006, 06:04 AM

Vicki,
Do you guys just keep a "master Copy" on Excel or something like that? I have to keep everything on the computer just so I can read it, my chicken scratch is just that, chicken scratch. I really like the info idea, we always insist we have paperwork for our grand babies when we have them, but it never occurred to me to have some for ourselves. Thanks for the tip.

Joy

jrgwdenner · 06-13-2006, 03:43 PM

Vicki, this is a most valuable suggestion. I often stick my driver's license or military ID in my pocket if I go off on a bicycle ride or some other excursion, but it doesn't direct anyone back to my camping site. We'll have to pick up this habit so poor Greta doesn't have to spend an extra minutes alone in the RV in the event of an accident. Heaven forbid!

Joy, I wonder if you could design a business card type layout with your emergency info and then a fill-in-the-blank area for your present location. If you printed off the info on a larger label you could fill out your present location and have all your information ready to stick on an index card when you need it. It would save having to write it all down over and over again. And it would be legible.

mobilrvn · 06-13-2006, 05:36 PM

Don't always do it, but most of the time we get a couple of the RV park business cards and put our space #, check out date and the fact that we have a couple of dogs with us. Have thought about this often, but never did anything about it. Might make a little business for someone with more drive than me. Need a holder for a 3 X 5 card that was highly visible (red & yellow stripes, e.g.) that had sticky tape of the back so you could place it somewhere visible in your TV. You would have a pad of data cards where you could place contact, dr., med, pet info. and another pad for current parking location or use the CG business card. This infomation would not be visible to someone just looking in your vehicle, just the holder marked "Emergency Information". I'd be happy to pay $10 or so for one.

vickir · 06-13-2006, 05:37 PM

Yes, Joy, I do have our form on my computer. I periodically print some off, cut them down to wallet size and keep them in an envelope that I can get to and fill in the blanks as soon as we park. I'll email you with the form I use and you can adapt it to your needs.

Judy, although the label idea is good, I'm not sure how easy it would be to get an index card into your wallet. We keep ours where it's visible as soon as the wallet is opened. I can email the form to you too if you'd like ... I would think you'd want to add something about a pet.

melnjoy · 06-13-2006, 06:37 PM

Cool Vicki,
I can't wait to see it. Thank you ahead of time.

Joy

Imp · 06-13-2006, 07:41 PM

OK Vicki, since you are sharing.. I would like a copy of your form too please.
Myrna

vickir · 06-13-2006, 08:16 PM

It's on its way, Myrna.

You're very welcome, Joy.

jrgwdenner · 06-14-2006, 01:37 AM

Now you're in business! Thanks, we got ours. I was thinking of something that would go on half of a business card, much like your form, Vicki. But this would work nicely. Definitely need to add a note about a pet. A permanent line could be added since Greta would always be in the trailer if she was not with us.

vickir · 06-14-2006, 05:11 AM

I just fold this form in half ... printing on the outside ... and it's about the size of a business card. Just too much info to go on a business card-sized form. Hope you'll be able to adapt this for your own use.

melnjoy · 06-14-2006, 06:34 AM

Vicki,
I got mine, thanks again. It will be real easy to put onto an excel sheet, I don't like messing with tabs and all of that. This will be great.

Joy

Longwell · 06-18-2006, 04:31 PM

After 14 years (and thousands of emergency situations) in a volunteer fire department, I can assure you that it is a REAL problem to find information like this in case of an emergency. Having it on your person or in your vehicle would greatly assist the emergency personnel, not to mention you and your loved ones (including pets.)
GREAT reminder Vicki. It IS important to remember this all the time.
Thanks.

Larry

Parrothead · 06-18-2006, 07:02 PM

I use the business card paper and print on both sides. It works, haven't seen Vicki's form but it is probably similar to mine. Just the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Keeping emergency info in your freezer is also a good idea. Supposedly that is a common place for emergency personnel to look. Also putting ICE on your cell phone is a must. My brother has Alzheimers and he got lost when visiting us several months ago. His home address in Phoenix was all the info he had on him. Thank goodness we called the police about the same time someone reported finding him and the police brought him to us. I told my nephew they have to remember to put new info in when he visits someplace other than his house.
Happy trails.......................

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