Guides · Safety planning
Build a family SOS plan in 20 minutes
An SOS plan is not a disaster movie script. It is a short agreement so that when someone is scared, injured, or unable to explain clearly, the household still knows what to do. You can create a usable plan in one short conversation and then refine it after a single practice run.
1. Decide who is in the first circle
List the people who should receive an emergency alert first. Keep the list small: parents or carers, a trusted sibling, and one backup relative or neighbour who can respond quickly. Too many recipients can slow decisions and create confusion about who is actually coming to help.
In Zone Tick, put these people in your family circle and, if needed, add SMS emergency contacts for people who may not have the app installed.
2. Agree on what “SOS” means
Write three plain sentences everyone can remember:
- When to press SOS: immediate danger, medical emergency, or you cannot safely continue alone.
- What recipients should do: call the person if possible, then call local emergency services if there is no reply and risk seems real.
- What not to do: do not spam messages, and do not assume every alert is a drill.
3. Capture the useful details ahead of time
Alerts are more useful when recipients already know home address, nearest hospital, school pickup rules, and any medical notes that matter (allergies, medications, mobility limits). Store those in a shared note your circle can open without hunting through old chats.
4. Practice once, calmly
Choose a low-stress evening. Tell everyone “this is a practice.” Trigger a Zone Tick SOS (or walk through the screens), confirm who received the notification or SMS, then cancel the alert and talk about timing. One practice removes most of the panic that comes from unfamiliar buttons.
5. Review permissions that make SOS reliable
Notifications must be allowed. Location improves context for responders. Battery optimisation exemptions help background monitoring on Android. For a deeper walkthrough, read Phone permissions for safety apps.
How Zone Tick fits
Zone Tick’s one-tap SOS notifies your circle with push alerts and can SMS designated contacts. Live location and alert history help the household understand what happened after the moment has passed. Optional crash detection and voice/scream features are extras—not requirements—for a solid plan.