Emergency ID Card PDF Template Download + Tips

Does your family have an emergency ID card that can be placed in emergency bags or in school backpacks? If not, you should!

Because I believe strongly that everyone should have a printable ID card, I decided to make one. It is free for you to download, so you have no excuse not to take advantage of it. 😊

It is designed as a 4″x6″ PDF template, making it the perfect size to attach to an index card.

Ready to download your emergency ID card? Just click the image below.

free emergency ID card template
Image Credit: Simple Family Preparedness.

In the event of an emergency there may be times you may not immediately be available to your child. If something severe happens and you cannot help them, how will emergency workers – or anyone else – know who they are?

How will they know what medical conditions they might have or who a good contact person might be?

Even for adults, most of us carry a license to identify us, but how will an emergency worker know who to contact in an emergency?

They won’t. This is why an emergency identification card is so important to have.

Let’s talk through a bit about how to use these cards and how useful they can really be.

Emergency Identification Card Uses

Consider the following scenario.

There was a tornado in your city and your child is at a rescue site with only their backpack. They are uncommunicative and terrified. The rescuers find the printed emergency ID card that you’ve put into the backpack. With that card, they can verify the photo and information to determine who the child is. They can see any allergies and know what their blood type is. This means emergency personnel can provide appropriate medical care without concerns.

They can be one step closer to treating them on the spot, effectively, because they have that information. Then they can immediately contact any emergency contact that is listed on the card.

Without this free printable child identification card, your child might be at risk of lack of medical care if needed. There will also be no point of contact to reach out to. Workers may even have trouble determining who they are.

Another scenario that happens more often than you think!

You are at a local amusement park and are separated from your young child. Even though you know that you’ve taught them to find the nearest park employee and wait, you still have to be proactive in getting help. Instead of trying to describe your child, or showing them a photo on your cell phone you can hand out ID cards. Keeping a few cards in your bag that you could hand to attendants could mean more people looking for your child.

And this is not just for kids either! Here is an adult scenario.

You have a medical condition that is not super serious, but can affect you unexpectedly. Diabetes or asthma for example can result in fainting or shock. You are alone on a walk and you pass out from difficulty breathing due to asthma. You only have your license on you and nothing else regarding contacts or medical issues. Emergency personnel arrive but do not know who to call or why you passed out. This can mean longer times to getting the help you need and difficulties in tracking down emergency contacts.

None of the above scenarios are meant to spook you.

But to make you think about how they can be helpful. Especially with younger children who don’t have a lot of vocabulary to share full information. Not only are emergency ID cards good for emergencies like this, but they’re good information to have in your Family Emergency Binder as well!

We keep a copy of an ID card for each member of our family in our emergency car kit and in our emergency bags.

Emergency ID Card Instructions

Before you tackle the below instructions, make sure you download your emergency identification PDF file.

  • Print on standard 8×10 paper – the cards are formatted to 4″x6″ in size.
  • Cut card from printed sheet
  • Glue the card onto a 4×6 index card for added stability
  • Attach a clear and current headshot of your child to the headshot box, staple or glue is recommended
  • Press your child’s thumb into a rubber stamp ink pad and add thumbprints to noted boxes on the card
  • Fill out all recommended information on the card
  • (Optional) Take the finished cards to your local print shop or teacher’s supply store and have them laminated. If you have a laminating machine at home you can of course do it yourself. If you prefer, you can put them into a freezer zip-top bag and remove all the air.

While the lamination part is optional, I highly recommend it. The cards will be more secure that way and last longer.

Another way to use these is to punch a hole in one and put it on a keyring for your family’s emergency bags. You can also put it in your Family Emergency Binder, or into their backpacks and school emergency kits.

I hope this post was helpful and that you and your family put these emergency cards to good use. If you have recommendations or ideas to make these cards better, leave a comment!

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Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.

She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.

Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).

Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.

Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.

Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.

She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.

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