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Farm Emergency Contact List

In a crisis people forget numbers. A clear, current list gives workers, children and visitors the right call to make without searching.

Why does a farm need a written contact list?

Stress makes it hard to remember details, and the person who finds an emergency may not be the owner. A written list means a hired worker, a teenager or a visitor can still reach the right people. Good lists are short enough to read in seconds. Put the most urgent information at the top and keep the rest in the order you would use it. Remember that a list on paper still works when a phone is dead or a battery has run out.

The list is a support for 911, not a replacement. In any emergency, call 911 first.

Practice using the list at least once a year by asking someone new to find a number and say the address aloud. If they struggle, simplify the list.

What should be on the list?

Start with the address and directions to the entrance, then add the numbers that matter most. Include family and farm managers, neighbors who can help, the veterinarian, and your utility companies. Also include the farm's physical location in simple terms, such as the road names, the nearest crossroad and the color of the entrance sign, since a stressed caller may not remember the number.

Add the poison control line and your doctor. Check the official sources for those numbers rather than copying them from memory, and confirm that they are correct for your area.

Check poison control and other public numbers on the official government site, and put the numbers you verify on the list. Do not copy numbers from social media.

• Farm address and entrance directions
• Family, managers and neighbors
• Veterinarian and livestock contacts
• Utilities, doctor and poison control

Where should I post it?

Put copies where people will see them: by landline and base phones, in the shop, the barn, the pickup and the tractor cab. Keep a copy in the house and one in your phone.

Use large print and plain words. Include a line in more than one language if your crew speaks others.

Laminate or protect the sheet so it survives dust, moisture and sun. Replace faded copies quickly.

• By each phone
• In the shop and barn
• In vehicles and cabs
• On your own phone

How do I keep it up to date?

Set a regular day, such as the start of each season, to review the list. Replace numbers that have changed, remove people who have left, and add new workers. Assign one person to be responsible for the list, and name a back up in case that person is away. A list that belongs to everyone often belongs to no one.

Ask each person to confirm their own information. Do not publish personal numbers beyond the people who need them.

Send the updated version to everyone who needs it, and collect old copies so no one uses wrong numbers.

What about privacy?

Share the list with the people who need it, and avoid posting it where the public can read it. Do not include passwords, gate codes or financial information. Treat the information as you would any private data. Use it only for the purpose given, store it safely, and delete old copies when someone leaves.

If you collect personal details from workers, explain what the list is for and who will see it. Respect each person's choice about what to include.

Store the master copy where only you can edit it, and share read only copies with others. Consider asking workers if they want to leave out any number.

• Share only with those who need it
• Leave out passwords and gate codes
• Explain what the list is for
• Delete outdated copies

How can children and visitors use the list?

Teach children how to call 911 and where the list is posted. Visitors should be told where the nearest phone is and who to contact on the farm.

For events or tours, give guests a short card with the address and emergency steps, and tell them who is in charge.

Short cards for visitors are easiest to use, with the address, the farm contact and the instruction to call 911 first.

What other information helps responders?

Keep a short note of medical conditions or allergies that workers are willing to share. Include the location of first aid supplies, shutoffs and chemical storage.

Review the list with your fire department. They may suggest changes that will help them reach you faster.

Offer a copy to your local emergency services if they want one, and ask whether they would like any other details.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.