Who would be your emergency contact? Here's how to choose wisely

September 29, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Safety Council, having a designated emergency contact is a crucial step in personal preparedness and can be a lifeline in unforeseen circumstances. Thinking through the right choice for who would be your emergency contact is a vital part of planning for the unexpected.

Quick Summary

Selecting the right emergency contact involves choosing a reliable, trusted individual who knows your medical history, can make decisions on your behalf, and is easily reachable in a crisis. The best choices are often a spouse, close family member, or a friend who is aware of your preferences and has the capacity to act quickly.

Key Points

Select Wisely: Choose a reliable and trustworthy person, such as a spouse, close family member, or friend, who is aware of your medical history and wishes.
Have Multiple Contacts: Designate at least two emergency contacts—a primary and a secondary—to ensure someone can be reached in a crisis.
Consider Proximity and Availability: Your primary contact should ideally be someone who is both emotionally resilient and consistently available, with a secondary contact who is not in the same immediate location.
Empower Them with Information: Ensure your emergency contact knows your medical conditions, medications, allergies, and the location of important legal documents like an advance directive.
Keep Information Accessible: Store your emergency contact details on your phone's lock screen (e.g., Medical ID on iPhone, Safety & Emergency on Android) for quick access by first responders.
Update Regularly: Review and update your emergency contact information annually or whenever your circumstances change to ensure its accuracy.

Understanding the Role of an Emergency Contact

An emergency contact is more than just a name on a form; they are the primary point of communication for first responders and medical professionals if you are unable to speak for yourself. Their responsibilities can be extensive, including providing vital information about your medical history, informing other family members, and making critical decisions about your care if you have granted them legal authority. It's a role that requires trust, discretion, and a calm head under pressure, making the selection process something that should be approached with careful consideration. The person you choose should not be someone who is easily rattled or unavailable.

Key Qualities of a Reliable Emergency Contact

When deciding who would be your emergency contact, evaluate potential candidates based on these essential traits:

Availability: Is this person frequently unreachable, traveling often, or working in a location with poor cell service? The ideal contact is someone with consistent availability.
Proximity: While not always necessary, a local contact can be beneficial for tasks like collecting children from school or looking after pets in a home emergency.
Emotional Resilience: The individual should be able to handle a crisis without becoming overwhelmed. They need to be able to communicate clearly with medical professionals and others during a stressful event.
Knowledge of Your History: Do they know your current medications, existing medical conditions, and allergies? This information is critical for healthcare providers.
Ability to Act: If you have an advance healthcare directive or power of attorney, your emergency contact should be someone who can and will honor your wishes, even if they personally disagree with them.

Creating a Comprehensive Emergency Plan

Choosing your contact is just one part of a larger plan. To ensure your loved ones are fully prepared, you should also organize and share the following:

A written emergency contacts list including your primary contact, secondary contacts, and other important numbers like your doctors, pharmacy, and insurance provider.
Medical information such as allergies, blood type, current medications, and medical conditions.
A record of legal documents, including a living will or advance directive, and details on where they are stored.
Instructions for dependents, including children, elders, or pets.

The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Contacts

It is highly recommended to have more than one emergency contact. A primary contact should be the person you want called first, while a secondary contact can be notified if the primary is unreachable. This dual system provides a crucial backup and increases the likelihood that someone will be reached quickly in a crisis.


Feature	Primary Contact	Secondary Contact
Relationship	Closest relative, spouse, or most trusted friend.	Another close relative or friend, often one who lives farther away.
Availability	Should have very high availability and reliability.	Offers backup if primary contact is unavailable.
Knowledge of History	Ideally has full knowledge of your medical history and wishes.	Should be informed but may not have the same level of detail.
Decision-Making	Often holds legal authority for medical decisions if you're incapacitated.	Serves to inform other family or act as a backup advocate.
Proximity	Beneficial if local to assist with immediate needs.	Can be out-of-area, particularly useful during widespread disasters.

Updating Your Emergency Information Regularly

Life is dynamic, and your emergency plan should be too. Relatives may move, relationships can change, and health conditions evolve. Best practices suggest reviewing and updating your emergency contacts and related information annually. Keep a digital copy on your phone's lock screen (often called 'Medical ID' or 'Safety & Emergency') for easy access by first responders. For example, the Ready.gov website provides resources for creating and updating a family emergency communication plan, which includes your emergency contacts. This simple task can be a lifesaver.

Making the Tough Decisions

In some cases, the most obvious choice may not be the best one. For example, if a spouse is not emotionally equipped to handle a crisis, it might be better to designate a resilient friend or sibling instead. Honesty with yourself and your potential contacts is key. You must discuss the role with the individual to ensure they are willing and capable of taking on the responsibility. If you have no close family or friends nearby, consider a trusted neighbor or coworker, and ensure they have a copy of your emergency information. The goal is to choose a person who can provide stability and support when you need it most. Ultimately, the best emergency contact is the one who will honor your wishes and act in your best interest when you cannot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is a best practice to list at least two emergency contacts: a primary and a secondary. This ensures there is a backup in case your primary contact cannot be reached, and you can designate a local contact for immediate needs and an out-of-area one for large-scale disasters.

No, your emergency contact does not have to be a family member. It can be a trusted friend, a neighbor, or anyone you believe is reliable, informed about your health, and capable of handling a crisis situation on your behalf.

You should share critical information such as your medical history, current medications, allergies, existing conditions, healthcare providers' contact information, and the location of legal documents like a living will or advance directive.

You should review and update your emergency contact information annually or whenever there are significant life changes, such as a move, a change in health status, or a change in relationship status.

An emergency contact is a person to be notified in an emergency, while a medical power of attorney grants legal authority to another person to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. While your emergency contact can also be your medical power of attorney, the roles are not the same.

If you don't have close family or friends, consider talking to a trusted coworker, a friendly neighbor, or a member of a community organization you belong to. Many areas also have emergency notification registries, such as through the state DMV, where you can list a contact.

If your primary emergency contact moves away, you should assess if their long-distance status affects their ability to assist in the manner you need. While they can still be your secondary contact, it's wise to find a new, reliable local contact to handle immediate, on-site issues.