Quick Start Guide
Access your family's emergency contacts in 4 simple steps.
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 unique family PIN and click "Access Contacts".
Call or Email
Tap on phone numbers to call or email addresses to send a message directly.
Step-by-Step Guide
Complete walkthrough for accessing your 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.
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 "Emergency Access" card. This option is designed to be large and easy to tap, even in stressful situations.
Step 3 Enter Your Family PIN
On the Emergency Access page, you'll see a field to enter your unique family PIN. Carefully type in your PIN. The field accepts only numbers and will automatically limit input to the correct length.
If you make a mistake, you can backspace and correct it. Once you've entered all 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 marked as visible for emergency access. Each contact displays:
- 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.
Troubleshooting
Solutions to common issues you might encounter.
Solution: Double-check that you're entering the correct PIN. Make sure you're not confusing similar-looking numbers (0 vs 8, 1 vs 7). If you continue to have issues, ask another family member to confirm the PIN.
Solution: Emergency Access requires an internet connection to load contacts. Try moving to a location with better reception, or ask someone nearby to use their device. Once contacts are loaded, you can use them even if you lose connectivity.
Solution: Only members marked as "visible in emergencies" will appear. This is intentional for privacy. A family administrator can update visibility settings through "Manage Family".
Solution: Ensure your device has a default phone or email app set up. On computers, this may require configuring a mailto: handler. You can also manually dial the number or copy/paste the email address.
Solution: Most browsers offer text-to-speech functionality. You can increase text size with Ctrl/Cmd + Plus. We're working on adding more accessibility options in future updates.
Emergency Scenarios
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 relationship labels to identify who to call.
Situation: You're involved in or witness a car accident involving a family member.
Action: After ensuring safety and calling 911, use Kintact to notify family members. Start with closest relatives, then expand as needed. Prioritize local contacts 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 with key details after making initial calls.
Situation: A family member encounters problems while traveling.
Action: Contact both the traveler (if possible) and family members back home. Use Kintact to find emergency contacts in the area if the family has added local friends or embassy contacts.
Pro Tips
Maximize the effectiveness of Kintact with these recommendations.
Share PIN Strategically
Share your family PIN with trusted neighbors, close friends, your child's school, or caregivers. Consider keeping it in a secure but accessible location like a wallet card or password manager.
Review 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.
Optimize for Mobile
Add Kintact to your smartphone's home screen for one-tap access:
- iOS: Safari → Share → "Add to Home Screen"
- Android: Chrome → Menu → "Add to Home screen"
Create 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.
Practice Drills
Include Kintact access in your family's emergency drills. Have family members practice accessing the system. This builds familiarity and reduces panic during actual emergencies.
Add Non-Family
Add important non-family contacts to your vault, such as your family doctor, nearby hospital, poison control, or trusted neighbors. Mark them as visible for quick access.
Printable Guide
For situations where digital access might be unavailable.
Print This Quick Reference
Keep this guide with your emergency supplies, car glove compartment, or wallet.
- If you don't know the PIN, ask a family member
- Internet connection required to load contacts
- For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 first
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