What the Yuma Police Department recommends we all do in case of an emergency
Sergeant Lori Franklin says an emergency contact card makes it easy & legal for officers to contact a loved one
YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - We never want to think about being in an accident, but it is always important to be prepared.
The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is sharing tips on how to best notify loved ones in case something ever happens.
Due to privacy laws, officers cannot go into your phone and call a loved one, even if you are in an accident.
Because of this, your friends or family may not know what has happened until hours later, when you are at the hospital.
An easy fix to make sure a loved one can be contacted in case of emergency is to carry around an emergency contact card in your wallet, or purse, at all times.
"We need a warrant to get in [to your phone], and that can take time," Sergeant Lori Franklin said. "So if you have an emergency contact list, in your wallet, or in your purse, somewhere we can locate it, it makes it easier to call a next of kin."
Franklin also says an emergency contact can be anyone you want, not just relatives.
