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Emergency Communications

Emergency Communications. Presented by Robert Petty Ward Emergency Preparedness Specialist Chatfield Ward --- Stake Emergency Communications Specialist Columbine Colorado Stake 17MAR2009. Emergencies Happen. Emergency Management. Mitigation Preparedness Response Recovery.

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Emergency Communications

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  1. Emergency Communications Presented by Robert Petty Ward Emergency Preparedness Specialist Chatfield Ward --- Stake Emergency Communications Specialist Columbine Colorado Stake 17MAR2009

  2. Emergencies Happen

  3. Emergency Management • Mitigation • Preparedness • Response • Recovery

  4. What is “Communication”? • Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs..." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication]

  5. What is an “Emergency”? • “An emergency is a situation which poses an immediate risk to life, health, property or environment”[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency]

  6. What then is Emergency Communication? • The imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs during a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment

  7. When do you use it? • Before hand... > Let people know your plans (trip, hike, camping, itinerary, etc.)> Let people know your emergency plan • Checking on others> Home and Visiting Teaching Route> Block Captain? Checking on your families> You might be asked by someone to check on others cont...

  8. When do you use it? • Notifying people you are safe> Family, Work, School, etc • Calling for Help or Assistance> Fire, Police, EMS -- 911 for emergencies!> Home or Visiting Teachers

  9. Communication before a disaster is the most important. • Establish a plan. • Maintain (update) the plan when necessary. The plan is a "living" document. It will change as you and your family change. • Test the plan, verify that family members know where to meet and who to call. • Share the plan with your immediate family members, your emergency contacts and anyone else who should know it.

  10. Events that can cause outages:

  11. 1-Way (Receive) Communications • Radio:NOAA / Shortwave / AM / FM / Sirius & XM • TV:** Digital Only effective June 2009 **Major consideration. Analog TVs require DTV receiver box. • Smoke Signals

  12. Traditional Phone and Radio Services

  13. Considerations with POTS • Many POTS systems rely on old and fragile Copper and Fiber relays • Due to decreasing demand Phone Companies are moving to other technologies (VoIP)‏ • Many homes don't have wired phones, many homes that are wired use VoIP instead of POTS • Many homes use Wireless phones that require AC power

  14. What's VoIP? • Voice over IP • Phone service using computer protocols (TCP/IP) over an internet connection. • Requires:> Working Internet connection> Working Modem / Router> Working VoIP interface> A/C Power!

  15. Considerations for Cellular Phone Service • Very limited capacity • Fragile infrastructure during earthquakes • SMS can work when Voice does not • Non-existent or extremely limited Emergency Power • "People have to remember that this is a commercial service, it was never designed to be an emergency network. And it just doesn't make business sense for carriers to try to build it that way." - Charles Golvin, Forrester Research

  16. Considerations with Commercial 2-way Radio • New systems use Digital trunking requiring working repeaters and digital radios • Engineered for specific capacity • Limited audience (only same system subscribers)‏ • Limited emergency power

  17. Considerations for Unlicensed 2-way Radio • Unlicensed Civilian radio services such as:> CB Radio> FRS> GMRS> 49 Mhz “intercom radios”Have limited RF power, limiting the range of the radio from blocks to a few miles.

  18. Considerations forAmateur (Ham) Radio • Requires FCC License • Requires basic knowledge of Radio Communications, Electronics and safety precautions • UHF Range is up to 30 miles • VHF Range is up to 50 miles • HF Range is up to 504,000 miles (honest!)‏ • Repeater mode extends distance • Simplex mode is point to point

  19. Handouts • ¼ Page Family Plan • Ready.gov Family Plan • Events Impacting Communication Systems • Alternatives for Communications • What do Amateur Radio Operators Do... • Ham Radio Getting Through

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