Do you have "Passwords and Codewords" for communicating with family, in troubling times.....???

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Nope. Sure don't. Except for my husband. He could spot any word out of place, and basically read what's going on by looking at me if we were face to face. Sometimes I don't think our adult kids would register "troubling" times, so that would be a waste of time. If I thought it was bad and wanted them to leave the cities they live in right now, I would fake a medical emergency for my husband and that would get them running to the farm.
 
Basically, just one word communicates the equal of several sentences, without others knowing what was communicated.

Example: You're with family member in a public place (maybe grocery store) you touch them to get their attention and say the code word, that means we are leaving "NOW" not for discussion.

Someone knocks on the door; you are home alone and for sure not expecting any family member. You say, "Who is there". They identify themself, and you know from their voice which of your family is there. You don't just open the door; you ask for the password. There are two passwords for the door. One communicates to you they are alone and fine. A different word communicates "Danger, and they are under duress". Perhaps they were kidnaped. Or being used by a group to gain entry.

The passwords or code words should be words you would rarely ever speak, and if you did, they would be in a sentence. Like: Ethiopia, or some extinct animal.
 
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We don't have alert words, but we, daughter and I, did have conversations about what I expected her to do if there was ever a situation such as someone who broke into our house. We discussed the potential of situations and what behaviors would be better or best. We talked about it enough and it must have been clear. The night I confronted a man in the hallway who brought a ladder to climb through a second story window, she knew to hide. That was what I had told her to do. Her asinine teacher thought she should have run to help me. Wrong! She did just as she was instructed to do. If he had seen her, his behavior might have been different.
 
We have a 'safe' word since the kids were little. It means the situation is ok, or if it is someone coming to them (at that time to pick them up in an emergency to be with us) the person now authorized to get them used the code word. Lots of safety practice on so many levels raising kids 1st in suburbs of Chicago and Milwaukee, and then in the Loop.
 
Yes.

Unfortunately, being codes, I can't really talk about them much. One hint, the code words are based on very common words most people use, but that we never use ourselves.

But they where one of the first things I me and my wife (then girlfriend) worked out. Before we would even call ourselves preppers. Seemed like common sense.
 
We "had" code words but pretty much lost them due to lack of use (and the fact the kids are all adults now and we all avoid high risk locations).

Something related I do have in my preps is decks of cards. On the back of each card I wrote the meaning. (e.g. Ace of hearts means "All clear" or Ace of spades means "people approaching").
All decks are annotated the same.

If SHTF, I and a couple others would most likely be outside protecting the perimeter while others would remain indoors. All parties have binoculars or scope. Anyone could lift a card or cards so send a message. Can't really rely on radios because the messages could be intercepted or you're out of batteries.

If I recall correctly:
Hearts were for all clear or good messages (thus the heart).
Diamonds were logistical messages like directions, movements or I need food.
Spades were warning messages
Clubs were for danger messages.

The decks are grouped by suit and number. Good (hearts) or logistical (diamond) messages at the top of the deck (and they're all red cards). Behind those go the spades then clubs.

E.g. Ace of spades (people approaching) and 3 of diamonds (denotes direction, in this case East) could be flashed to others so everyone knows what's going on. If the approaching group is armed, you would also raise the appropriate Club card.
 
We have contingency based discussions or pre established plans in high risk situations (any time we go into town, or other such situations of risk). We have some agreed upon plans that we would execute. In the military we called these battle drills. An event or a word would trigger it. Some events don’t need words, such as an earthquake, shootings or bear encounters. Plans are never perfect, so one still needs to be able to independently assess the situation and make good decisions using our established plans as a baseline.
 
I can't even remember the code word I am supposed to tell the alarm company when they call to make sure everything is alright. So I guess that will get me the police response I may need. Probably even when I don't need it.
 
We "had" code words but pretty much lost them due to lack of use (and the fact the kids are all adults now and we all avoid high risk locations).

Something related I do have in my preps is decks of cards. On the back of each card I wrote the meaning. (e.g. Ace of hearts means "All clear" or Ace of spades means "people approaching").
All decks are annotated the same.

If SHTF, I and a couple others would most likely be outside protecting the perimeter while others would remain indoors. All parties have binoculars or scope. Anyone could lift a card or cards so send a message. Can't really rely on radios because the messages could be intercepted or you're out of batteries.

If I recall correctly:
Hearts were for all clear or good messages (thus the heart).
Diamonds were logistical messages like directions, movements or I need food.
Spades were warning messages
Clubs were for danger messages.

The decks are grouped by suit and number. Good (hearts) or logistical (diamond) messages at the top of the deck (and they're all red cards). Behind those go the spades then clubs.

E.g. Ace of spades (people approaching) and 3 of diamonds (denotes direction, in this case East) could be flashed to others so everyone knows what's going on. If the approaching group is armed, you would also raise the appropriate Club card.

I like That. never heard of that.
 
I can't even remember the code word I am supposed to tell the alarm company when they call to make sure everything is alright. So I guess that will get me the police response I may need. Probably even when I don't need it.
If we set the alarm off, the company immediately calls the phone and asks for the 'code word' before calling the cops.
Nobody ever told me, so I sounded like a burglar when they called.gaah
Fortunately they heard the magic codeword:
"Give me thadam phone! Please excuse my ****** husband, he doesn't know the codeword."
All good:thumbs:.
But it did take the girl on the other end a while to stop laughing.:LOL:
 
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