What is your family code for danger?

Oh my God....ARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


So you think it is a good idea to have a family code for emergencies, but you personally don't need one for your family. OK.

We use several code words, one word repeated for each situation. This way we know what the emergency is.

GO GO GO = fire (we used this on once before when our house was on fire, worked great)

GREEN GREEN GREEN = Head for the hills( we have a meeting spot that we will all meet at, it has back up supply bags and such there)

We have many other words and signs that help us to determine danger and what it might be.

We also use things in the windows to signal illness, and other reasons that we would not want a family to come to the door. That was if someone is at our door we know it is someone we are not overly friendly with.

Operation Crikey!

The chair is against the wall.

Any one remember what movie that is from

I have a relation who is in a position that may be able to tell me if SHTF is coming. Couldn't say anything openly, but if she ever suggests that I go visit my stepmom, I'm evacuating!

Originally posted by freedomataprice

GO GO GO = fire (we used this on once before when our house was on fire, worked great)

You would think "Fire! Fire!" would be enought to get people outside during a house fire, but strangely enough, it isn't. Our house caught on fire during the day. We all wanted to rescue our favorite things or wanted to go "see" the fire. We weren't quick to leave the house.

Originally posted by Mountainmeg
I have a relation who is in a position that may be able to tell me if SHTF is coming. Couldn't say anything openly, but if she ever suggests that I go visit my stepmom, I'm evacuating!

I have decided to stay put but I would still like to be forwarned. I might have last minute things to do before the crowd. Our city had a water problem. As soon as it was announced I tried to buy bottled water. I went to all the places that i knew sold water and none of them had any. I heard of fist fights over the last water on the shelves.

I'm a little late to the party, but then slow days at work tend to do that to me, so heres my piece.

Spelling out danger is fine in some straight forward situations, but take a bank robbery, armed home invasion etc where you will more than likely die for giving out any information, its far better to sound out of your mind rambling about Molly, Betty and Alice getting together. Having code phrases is quite useful in situations where you can't speak openly and frankly, like say over FRS radios, during hunting season none of us ever use our real names because we don't want other people to know where we have setup a stand at and come horn in on our chances at deer.

I

My family is unfortunately not concerned with such things, so we don't ever discuss emergencies or "what if" scenarios. My parents believe that it is an unnecessary part of existence to be prepared for break-ins or the like.

When I marry, though, I intend to have a safeword for me and my wife to use in any given situation. Sometimes, in the event that you need someone home quickly and don't want to take the time to explain the situation, it's easier to use a short word or phrase that will "light the fire under their feet".

[edit on 16-3-2010 by LadySkadi]

Originally posted by Helig
Having code phrases is quite useful in situations where you can't speak openly and frankly, like say over FRS radios, during hunting season none of us ever use our real names because we don't want other people to know where we have setup a stand at and come horn in on our chances at deer.

I

I hadn't thought about fake names. It makes sense to hid your idenity at times.

I suppose if I called my daughter "Jake" or "George" she would know something was wrong.

Originally posted by Beinion

Sometimes, in the event that you need someone home quickly and don't want to take the time to explain the situation, it's easier to use a short word or phrase that will "light the fire under their feet".

I like that! One phrase could work for many situations.

Originally posted by MemoryShock

Originally posted by Aggie Man
However, why the need for a code word for danger? I mean, if there is danger then it should be clearly stated as such, no?

To avoid out of control panic situations, in my opinion.

If someone overheard then the news could spread unpredictably. A codeword allows for a pre-determined set of actions that could provide for much more efficient managing of an issue.

It makes me wonder though...if there are code words broadcast by the mainstream media that only certain families/people know of...

Excellent question.

I wonder that as well!

Thank you OP you have given me inspiration to do this for my own family, and if I had to name it or at least give a clue to it I would have to say that it is the name of my favourite book about a Nuclear War. A star and a flag for you for helping me realise that this is probably going to be important at some time in the near/distant future.

Interesting idea. I guess we always assumed that if we could say a codeword, we could just say the situation.

Wouldn't be a bad idea though, to have some codewords for different scenarios/responses.

Things like:

Get to the Ranch as fast as you can, grab any supplies you can.

Hunker down where you are for at least 24 hours, then try to come to the Ranch.

Ranch is compromised, meet up at secondary location.

etc., etc.

originally posted by: hillbilly4rent
The chair is against the wall.

Any one remember what movie that is from

Only 5 years late, but The Longest Day. Still one of the great films of all time, and not just WWII films.

originally posted by: NotThat
Only someone who knew the code could pick them up from school.

Same deal with my kids, we had a code word that anyone authorised by us to pick them up would have to use. Had a code word with my ex, too, based upon a mutual joke that if you yell ''duck" to a woman, she'll immediately stick her head up and say "What!!??"
"Duck!" became code for "be quiet...I'll explain later". Quite useful...I recommend it.

Same deal with my kids, we had a code word that anyone authorised by us to pick them up would have to use

We did have that. Was always something silly that would never come up in normal conversation. Like, "haberdash"...or something similar.