Quick Start Guide
In an emergency, every second counts. Here's the fastest way to access your family's emergency contacts:
Open Kintact
Go to the Kintact website on any device with internet access.
Click "Emergency Access"
On the homepage, tap or click the "Emergency Access" card.
Enter Family PIN
Type in your 4-digit family PIN and click "Access Contacts".
Call or Email
Tap on phone numbers to call or email addresses to send a message directly from your device.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to access your family's emergency contacts:
Step 1: Access the Kintact Website
Open any web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, etc.) on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Navigate to the Kintact website. If you've bookmarked the site, you can access it directly from your bookmarks or home screen.
Look for the Kintact logo and familiar interface
If bookmarked, access via your bookmarks
Step 2: Select Emergency Access
On the Kintact homepage, you'll see two main options: "Emergency Access" and "Manage Family". Tap or click on the red "Emergency Access" card. This option is designed to be large and easy to tap, even in stressful situations or with trembling hands.
Step 3: Enter Your Family PIN
On the Emergency Access page, you'll see a field to enter your 4-digit family PIN. Carefully type in your PIN. The field is designed to accept only numbers and will automatically limit input to 4 digits.
If you make a mistake, you can backspace and correct it. Once you've entered all 4 digits, click the "Access Contacts" button.
Step 4: View Emergency Contacts
After successfully entering your PIN, you'll see a list of all family members who have been marked as visible for emergency access. Each contact will display:
- Their name
- Their relationship to the family
- Their phone number (clickable to initiate a call)
- Their email address, if provided (clickable to compose an email)
Step 5: Contact Family Members
To contact a family member, simply tap on their phone number (on mobile devices) or click it (on computers). This will initiate a call using your device's default phone application. Similarly, tapping or clicking on an email address will open your default email client with a new message addressed to that person.
You can contact as many family members as needed. The page will remain active until you navigate away or close the browser.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter problems accessing your emergency contacts, here are solutions to common issues:
Solution: Double-check that you're entering the correct 4-digit PIN. Make sure you're not confusing similar-looking numbers (0 vs 8, 1 vs 7, etc.). If you continue to have issues, ask another family member to confirm the PIN. Unfortunately, for security reasons, Kintact cannot recover or reset forgotten PINs.
Solution: Emergency Access requires an internet connection to initially load your contacts. If you don't have cellular data or WiFi, try moving to a location with better reception, or ask someone nearby to use their device. Once contacts are loaded, you can use them (make calls, send emails) even if you lose connectivity.
Solution: Only family members marked as "visible in emergencies" will appear. This is intentional for privacy reasons. If you need to make changes, a family administrator will need to log in through "Manage Family" and update the visibility settings for specific members.
Solution: Ensure your device has a default phone or email application set up. On computers, this may require configuring a mailto: handler in your browser settings. As an alternative, you can manually dial the phone number or copy/paste the email address into your preferred communication app.
Solution: Kintact is currently available in English. For accessibility, most modern browsers offer text-to-speech functionality. You can also increase text size in your browser settings (Ctrl/Cmd + Plus sign). We're working on adding more language and accessibility options in future updates.
Real-World Emergency Scenarios
Here's how to use Kintact in various emergency situations:
Situation: A family member has a sudden medical issue and you need to contact relatives quickly.
Action: Access Kintact using your family PIN, then call the most appropriate contacts first (spouse, adult children, nearby relatives). Use the relationship labels to quickly identify who to call (e.g., "Primary Emergency Contact", "Medical Power of Attorney").
Situation: You're involved in or witness a car accident involving a family member.
Action: After ensuring immediate safety and calling 911, use Kintact to notify family members. Start with the closest relatives, then expand to others as needed. If the accident occurred far from home, prioritize contacting local family members who can respond quickly.
Situation: A home emergency (fire, flood, break-in) occurs when family members are away.
Action: Use Kintact to contact all relevant family members simultaneously. Consider sending a group text message with key details after making initial calls. Use the email function to send photos or detailed information if needed.
Situation: A family member encounters problems while traveling.
Action: Contact both the traveler (if possible) and family members back home. Use Kintact to quickly find emergency contacts in the area if the family has added local friends or embassy contacts. The relationship labels can help identify who might be most helpful in a travel situation.
Pro Tips for Emergency Preparedness
Maximize the effectiveness of Kintact with these expert tips:
Share Your PIN Strategically
Don't keep your family PIN a secret from everyone. Share it with trusted neighbors, close friends, your child's school, or caregivers who might need to access your emergency contacts. Consider keeping it in a secure but accessible location like a wallet card or password manager.
Review Contacts Regularly
Set a calendar reminder to review your family contacts every 3-6 months. Update phone numbers, add new family members, and remove those who should no longer be included. This ensures your emergency information is always current.
Optimize for Mobile Access
Add Kintact to your smartphone's home screen for one-tap access:
- iOS: Open Kintact in Safari, tap the Share button, then "Add to Home Screen"
- Android: Open Kintact in Chrome, tap the three dots menu, then "Add to Home screen"
Create a Backup
While Kintact is reliable, it's wise to have a backup. Print a copy of your most critical emergency contacts and keep it in your wallet, car glove compartment, or emergency kit. Focus on the 3-5 most essential contacts rather than everyone in your vault.
Practice Emergency Drills
Include Kintact access in your family's emergency drills. Have family members practice accessing the system and contacting each other. This builds familiarity and reduces panic during actual emergencies.
Printable Emergency Guide
For situations where digital access might be unavailable, print this simplified guide and keep it with your emergency supplies.
KINTACT EMERGENCY ACCESS - QUICK REFERENCE
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- If you don't know the PIN, ask a family member
- Internet connection required to load contacts
- Only shows members marked for emergency visibility
- For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 first
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