Emergency Communication

During any kind of emergency—naturali or otherwise—one of the most important things a

person can do is to stay informed . In fact, most emergency preparedness experts say that
being informed before and during an emergency is one of the best ways to ensure one’s
safety and the safety of the family.
However, during an emergency that is serious enough that people will require
communication to stay alive, it is almost certain that any landlines will be down, and very
probable that power will be out. This means that standard radios and televisions would be
out of the question.
Cell phones are a great alternative to these more traditional means of communication.
Almost everyone has one these days, and they are easy to use and most of the time very
reliable. Unfortunately, however, emergencies are not “most of the time,” and while cell
phones might be useful during a disaster, it is equally likely that they will be out of service
because of widespread damage.
If the cell phone tower is damaged, then it would be pretty difficult to get service on a cell
phone dependent on that tower. And in the case of severe storms, earthquakes, or even
fires, these towers are just as susceptible to the elements as any other structure.
Cell phones themselves, of course, are not always entirely reliable. Everyone has had a time
where their phone service just went out and their call got dropped. And most people have
experienced poor service while they are in a storm. The weather patterns—particularly if
there is electricity involved—can have a serious effect on mobile devices.
However, in smaller disasters, where most of the telephone grid stays intact, cell phones
are the most convenient way to contact others for help or support. Auto breakdowns, for
example, are considerably less serious when people have a cell phone. If none is available,
then people either have to flag down another driver or walk quite some distance to use the
highway phone. Both of these options are dangerous, and overall it would just be better to
have a personal communications device in the car.
The last thing to consider about cell phones is that they run out of batteries quickly. Some
last longer than others—everyone has experienced that in some form or another—and cell
phones do last quite a bit longer if they aren’t being constantly used. However, without
some kind of hand crank charger, it is impossible to make cell phones last longer than just a
few hours.
Because people have become accustomed to the convenience of cell phones, they will really
have to think about other emergency communications alternatives. And they should start
immediately, before some kinds of natural disaster forces them to remain at home and they
have no way of either gaining information from or sending it to the outside world. ii
One of the best (and only) options for emergency communications is the emergency radio .
These come in all shapes and sizes, and can be powered by anything from batteries to a
hand crank to solar energy. They are specifically designed to be useful in an emergency,
and are therefore more difficult to break than typical radios.
If people are new to emergency communications, the first thing they should look for is a
basic, heavy-duty AM/FM radio. Although this type will not be able to send transmissions,
people will be able to listen for any emergency broadcasts. During a disaster, people should
keep their radio on as much as possible so they can know what is happening, where the
damage is occurring, whether or not they should evacuate, and finally, when it is finally safe
to leave. People should talk to local police departments to find out which channel will be
broadcasting news during an emergency.
Another option for one-way radios is to buy a multi-band radio, which will enable its user to
pick up signals from much greater distances. Emergency preparedness stores like The
Ready Store sell a variety of these radios, and they pick up signals from AM/FM stations,
shortwave frequencies, some TV channels, NWR (National Weather Radio), and NOAA
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). With all of these channels, plus
instructions on how to receive each signal, people should be able to stay informed with
ease.
Many of these radios are also able to be powered in different ways. One of the most
appealing options is solar powered, but people should remember that solar powered also
means that the radio must spend time charging in the sun—which usually takes anywhere
from five to ten hours. Even if the sun is up, if the day is hazy, partly cloudy, or even just
foggy, the radio will probably not charge at all.
If someone needs emergency communications immediately, they should consider buying a
radio with a different power source, or at least one with multiple options. These options can
be anything from a hand crank to a battery, to a computer USB. Any radio with different
ways of charging and powering it is a safer bet than just an AC/DC powered device.
These radios are all excellent options for people who need to stay informed during disaster.
They do, however, all have one downside, and that is that they are only one-way radios.
These products can receive information, which is the most important part, but they cannot
transmit anything. This can be crucial in an emergency where a family member is hurt and
people cannot reach medical care. Two-way radios can save lives by transmitting
information about where people are, especially in situations where they have been buried by
debris and cannot get out on their own.
So for more prolonged emergencies and for those people who live in areas where they may
become stranded at home thanks to severe storm conditions, flooding,iii earthquakes, or
other emergency situations, having a two-way radio is key to survival . These “amateur
radios,” or HAM radios, are relatively easy to use. If people need to, they ivcan take classes,
either online or in person, to learn how to use them to their fullest extent . These radios
provide tens of thousands of stations available to any citizens who know how to access
them, vand can communicate hundreds of miles with anyone else attached to a similar
device .
People must pass a test in order to become a licensed user of these types of radio, but the
questions are simple and straightforward, and are provided vi online so people can know
exactly what they are going to be asked during the exam . If people do not feel comfortable
just learning by themselves and then going in to take a test, they can also undergo some
training to make sure they completely understand their amateur radio. This training can
take place online or in person, and is conducted by the Crisis and Emergency vii Risk
Communication branch of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
One of the only downside to these radios is that they can only broadcast on public viii
stations—to be brief, there is no privacy when it comes to radio communication . They are
excellent for contacting the authorities, but when it comes to more private communications,
like between the family or their neighbors, then people may want to consider having walkie
talkies.
All of these emergency broadcast devices have pros and cons, but for people to be truly
prepared, they will want to examine each option carefully; they will also benefit more from
having more than one of these options, instead of just assuming that a one-way battery-
powered radio is going to be all they’ll need for their emergency communications. If people
look into communication and begin to prepare now, they will probably be able to avoid
many of the problems and dangers other people run into when they don’t think about
emergencies in advance. Don’t become a statistic or a casualty—prepare for disasters now
and avoid tragedy.

i http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/index.html/. Ready.gov webpage: Be Informed

ii http://www.thereadystore.com/blog/125/what-to-look-for-in-an-emergency-radio/. The
Ready Store blog: What to look for in an emergency radio
iii http://www.emergencycommunication.org/ Emergency Communication website: CERT
Communication Plan
iv http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/emergency/. ARRL (American Radio Relay League)
webpage: Emergency Communications
v http://gilescounty.org/pdf%27s/Community_Version.pdf. Giles County article: Be Aware,
Be Informed, Be Prepared: A Reference Manual
vi http://www.qrz.com/testing.html. QRZ Amateur Radio Call webpage: QRZ's Practice
Amateur Radio Exams
vii http://www.bt.cdc.gov/cerc/. CDC webpage: Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication
(CERC)
viii https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/start-3-1f.shtm. Citizen Corps webpage: Community
Emergency Response Team Resources and Communications