1. Emergency Communications
An “All Hazards” approach

2. Sometimes our best plan will fail

3. Sometimes it is the “little things”
Ashfall of the Lava Creek eruption of Yellowstone Caldera.

4. Sometimes it is the “big things”

5. When you cannot communicate with your operational elements the situation will quickly overwhelm you.

6. This is what we DON’T want.

7. Scenario 1:
You are having an average commute on the way into work when
….BAM…
you get a flat tire…and
wouldn’t you know it?
Your spare is flat too!

8. Scenario 2:
You and your friends are four-wheeling in the backcountry. All is fun until one of the guys hits a big rock and flips his ATV. He needs medical attention. You reach for your cell phone but no signal.

9. Scenario 3:
You are alerted that a ‘severe storm watch’ has been issued for your area, and you can see in the distance that dark clouds are heading your way. You are watching the TV for updates when the cable goes out.

10. Scenario 4:
A large earthquake hits your area. Infrastructure has been damaged, and, for the foreseeable future, is inoperable. You are trying to get In touch with members of your family to confirm they are O.K.

11. Is there a pattern?
As the degree of emergency increases, so does the need for reliable communication.
That cell phone you depend upon every day can only take you so far. In emergencies you will need alternative forms of both one-way and two-way communications.

12. There is no single solution

13. Telephone 10% rule
Cell 5% rule
is there Internet?
Text often works when cells don’t
AWIN Radio allows official interoperation
Satellite Phone good if you know how to use them
CB Radio may be useful some of the time
Amateur Radio If this wont work, nothing will
Carrier pigeons and smoke signals..

14. Telephone 10% rule For a wireline telephone to
work it must receive current
from the central office.
This power supplied by batteries
and is limited.
To make a call, it must also receive “Dial Tone”
There is only enough “Dial Tone” power for about
10% of the phones connected to the central switch.
Inbound calls may work when outbound wont. (GETS)

15. Cell 5% rule The cell companies build and
maintain their radio systems to
support about 5% of the subscriber base at one time, based on daily average loading of the network at each tower site.
If you are in the 95% group, you will not make a call.
Wireless Priority Service will place you among the 5%

16. Email Is there Internet?
There is no magic system to carry your message to it’s destination, but often is routed over networks that are not connected with telephone service.
Try it. It may work fine, then again.. maybe not.

17. Text often works when voice calls don’t
The actual path taken by SMS (text)
messages is separated from the voice
phone system at the cell tower. This
allows SMS messages to avoid the issue of network congestion most of the time.
In actual emergencies SMS messages have worked
when voice calls would not.

18. AWIN Radio allows official interoperation
Only an option for official use. Not for personal messages.
The network of AWIN towers can be disrupted
by large scale events.
Local service can be blocked by network congestion.

19. Satellite Phone good if you know how to use them
Satellite phones do not depend on a
terrestrial infrastructure to function. They can be used in most any location on earth, with some limitations.
Satellites may not always be in the ‘available’ sky.
Batteries must be charged.
Inbound calls require international calling plans.
In large area emergencies the satellite will be overloaded

20. CB Radio may be useful some of the time
This may be a useful option for communicating within your local area. There are a large number of people using this radio service for hunting, off road sports, and other personal uses.
Undisciplined operators can render this service
unusable, especially in urban areas.
Long range propagation will interfere with use.

21. Amateur Radio If this doesn’t work, nothing will
License required to
operate
Best option for volunteers
Global and local coverage
Resource is recognized
by FEMA

22. No Easy Answers
Contents - 1 each Emergency Communication Plan One size fits all, some assembly required. $ priceless

23. Make a Plan for YOU Personal and Family Plan Where to meet
Plan for alternates if first location is compromised
Contact person outside the local area
Every member of your family should check in
Red Cross and Salvation Army message systems
Sometimes it is enough to know family is in a safe place
Facebook Safety Check
If you can access the internet, it’s a good idea.

24. Make a Plan at work Who do you need to talk to, and when?
Who at your facility will speak?
Do they know it?
What will they say?

25. Who do you need to talk to?
County Emergency Management
ALL requests for assistance WILL start here!
State Agencies
Coordination with ADH and ADEM to fill in details as required
Local Agencies
The mob at gathering at your door will require local support

26. Who do you need to talk to?
Staff
How will you inform staff about changes in scheduling and work load?
How will you notify them to report to work?
The Public
Where do you want them to go with “walk in” cases?
What other resources can they make use of?

27. Do you want this to be the public face of your event?
Who is talking?
Do you want this to be the public face of your event?

28. Who is talking?
There needs to be a clear designation of who in your workplace is authorized to communicate with outside
This is essential to avoid duplication of resource requests, and distribution of bad information
Train multiple levels deep
Train with ALL communications systems
Practice .. Practice .. Practice

29. You are not alone. MOU/MOA with other facilities
Groups with complimentary missions
Public service groups
SERV – Communications MRC
Amateur radio volunteers
Crisis communications training

30. Contact info
Tactical Communication Specialist
Preparedness, Trauma and EMS Branch
Arkansas Department of Health – Center for Health Protection
Office (501) 661 – 2747    Cell (501) 626 – 6413    Radio AD5FU