Emergency Contacts: What to Expect

Purpose

You've been chosen as an Emergency Contact for someone at Hypha, and we want to give you a bit of guidance on what that means.

Why Was I Chosen?

You may have been chosen for any number of reasons. Ultimately, you are trusted to act in the best interest of the Hypha team member in the case of an emergency.

When Might I Be Contacted?

There are two main scenarios where a member of the Hypha team might reach out to you:

Unusual Lack of Contact: The Hypha team member is unexpectedly out of contact with their team. They might miss meetings and/or be unresponsive to messages for a length of time that's uncommon and unexpected. Because we work remotely, we can't check on their physical safety ourselves and may need your help.

In-Person Emergency: If an emergency occurs during an in-person gathering, such as an injury, we may contact you either at the team member's request or if they are unable to communicate and require medical attention.

What Do I Do If I'm Called?

In the first case, where we haven't heard from the Hypha team member in a while, we may ask you to go check on them at their home or working location. We kindly request that you keep us updated.

In the case of an injury, you may be asked to go to the medical centre where the person has been taken. If you're not in the same city, we may ask you to inform others they'd want notified and/or help coordinate alternative support.

Do I Have to Make Medical Decisions For Them?

This is entirely up to the Hypha team member and you. If you're listed as their Health Care Proxy, you may be responsible for medical decisions if they're unable to make them. Otherwise, that responsibility falls to their appointed Proxy or Next of Kin.