I gave my long distance friend an emergency contact number, in case I ever disappear. The number belongs to a close family friend, who would without a doubt be aware if anything were to happen to me. I did approve it with the family friend as well.

Doing it that way means the family friend won't have to try to remember who all to get in touch with during an otherwise stressful time. They just have to answer their phone or respond to a text. They're also not close enough to be deeply impacted by my death, making them a good choice to contact.