What to put in a family emergency binder
A family emergency binder — sometimes called an “in case of emergency” file — gathers the information your family would need to find fast in a crisis. Here’s what to include, and a calmer, private way to keep it that people actually maintain.
What to include in your emergency file
Start with the information someone would look for first if you were unavailable. You don’t need all of it at once — even the basics give your family a head start.
- Emergency contacts & who to call first
- Medications, allergies & doctors
- Where important documents are kept
- Insurance policies & where to find them
- Household details & utility shutoffs
- Bank, debt & account contacts (not full numbers)
- Pets, children, school & who steps in for the kids
- A trusted person & where the backup lives
Tip: record where sensitive things are kept — a location or hint — rather than full passwords, PINs, or account numbers. That keeps the file safe to hand to someone in a hard moment.
Binder, Google Doc, or app?
A paper binder or a shared document works — until it doesn’t. The hard part isn’t starting one; it’s keeping it current and making sure your family can actually find and use it.
A calmer, private way to do it
Guided, not just a template. Private, not a subscription. Gathered, not hundreds of papers to comb through. Life on Track walks you through what to enter first, keeps everything on your own device, and gives your family a clear, printable handoff for the moment they need it.
- Guided Setup — you’re never staring at a blank page
- Private by design — nothing on our servers
- One-time purchase — no subscription
- Printable sheets for emergencies — and everyday moments, like a sitter sheet or school forms
Start with the free 5-Minute Family Readiness Check
A simple, printable starting point for the information your family would need first — no account required.