TYLA Project

ICE: In Case of Emergency
By: Amanda Torres and Shannon Steel White

Recently, the devastating floods in Central Texas impacted my community.  While vacationing in Wimberley, three families were tragically swept away when historic floodwaters unexpectedly rushed in, leaving only one survivor.  This tragedy is not something that anyone could have anticipated, but it can serve as a reminder to us all of the importance of being prepared for anything.

We are all somewhat familiar with the natural disasters that typically affect our communities.  Sometimes, we can see it coming on the news. A storm begins its dangerous movement in your direction and quickly whole cities begin preparing for evacuations. Sometimes, we might hear alarms sounding to warn us of powerful tornadoes touching down.  These alarms might only allow us a few minutes to get to safety. Then of course, sometimes you do not receive any warning at all, and you are left mere seconds to prepare.

TYLA has always been committed to helping Texans navigate our legal system and address complicated issues that arise in our daily lives.  Whether it is a hurricane, tornado, flash flood, or snowstorm, when tragedy strikes, one way to lessen the blow to your personal, financial, and physical well-being is to have a plan of action ready.  A plan of action can help you and your family avoid unnecessary distress and help with quickly returning life back to normal.

TYLA has created a card for your personal use called “ICE: In Case of Emergency.”  It is TYLA’s hope that this will be useful in organizing your important information into one place that you can quickly take when you need to pack up and leave your home due to an emergency. Additionally, in the unfortunate event something should happen, it can be a helpful tool for you or your loved ones when trying to recover and rebuild from such a difficult situation. 

The card has features that allow you to organize information like insurance policy numbers, family phone numbers, items to take if leaving your home due to an emergency, and phone numbers for support services in your area. The user is provided space on the card to fill in important phone numbers and policy numbers.  Storing this card in a location that will be easy for you to quickly access in a Ziploc bag or having it laminated is also recommended.  It is also advisable to store it with other important legal documents like deeds, birth certificates, and car titles in an accessible location. 

TYLA hopes that you will never have to use the ICE card, but it is a good way to begin thinking about your plan of action if an emergency were to arise. When used in conjunction with identified important documents, phone numbers, and an evacuation route, your family’s plan of action will begin to take shape and provide comfort should a natural disaster occur.  While we can’t stop a natural disaster from striking, we can prepare ourselves and our families to the best of our ability. TYLA desires to help all Texans to protect their personal, financial, and physical well-being, and it hopes that this card helps you by furthering those objectives.

Amanda Torres is an attorney at Branscomb | PC in Corpus Christi, where she practices civil litigation and fiduciary litigation.

Shannon Steel White is an attorney at Wood, Boykin & Wolter, P.C. in Corpus Christi, where her practices focus on real estate, business, and governmental matters.