Emergency communication can help ensure safety, foster collaboration, empower action, and ensure that response efforts are coordinated and efficient.
Communication during a disaster or emergency situation is like the glue that holds your sanity together — while potentially saving lives. Without an emergency communication plan, you’re missing out on a critical prepping element.
Communication during disaster and emergencies
What are the benefits of a solid communication plan? Let’s dive into a few of the big benefits when it comes to your own team, family members, and friends:
Coordination and safety. Effective communication enables each member of your team to coordinate their efforts. It ensures that everyone is on the same page, working toward the same goal of ensuring safety and minimizing harm. An effective plan helps you share vital information, instructions, and updates that have the potential to save lives and prevent chaos within your ranks.
Timely response and decision-making. In a crisis, time is of the essence. Clear and efficient communication allows for quick decision-making and prompt response. It enables members of your team to take action, allocate resources, and implement contingency plans as needed. The faster information flows, the more effectively people can assess the situation and take appropriate action.
Information dissemination. Communication is the key to keeping people informed and reducing panic. It provides accurate updates on the status of the emergency, evacuation routes, shelter locations, and other essential information. By sharing knowledge, you can make quick decisions and stay informed about potential risks and necessary precautions.
Resource management. Effective communication during disasters helps your team optimize resources by properly assessing needs, prioritizing assistance, and distributing aid. It ensures that help reaches those who need it most.
Reassurance and emotional support. During crises, people need reassurance and emotional support — especially if you have children in your group. Communication provides a channel to offer empathy, guidance, and a bit of friendly banter.
Reunification. Communication can help you locate and reconnect with separated family members and friends — and help them find a safe place to ride out the storm.
Face disasters together with the right planning
In times of crisis, effective communication can be a lifeline. It fosters collaboration, empowers individuals to take action, and ensures that response efforts are coordinated and efficient. So, keep those lines of communication open, and together, your team can face any emergency head-on!
Why is emergency communication important?
Cell towers and cell phones aren't invincible. They have their weaknesses and there are many events that could render them useless for a short or long time. That’s when you’ll need to resort to emergency communication measures.
Here are a few emergencies that could wipe out your regular communication methods (i.e., cell phones, social media, messaging apps):
Natural disasters. Mother Nature can be fierce! Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, or severe storms can damage cell towers, knock down power lines, or flood large areas, disrupting cell and internet services. It's like nature's way of saying, "No bars for you!"
Power outages. When the lights go out, it's not just your fridge that suffers. Cell towers and internet routers need electricity to keep their signals going. So, if there's a massive power outage, your router will come to a standstill and cell towers might go silent. In time, your phone battery will also die out.
Infrastructure damage. Accidents happen and clumsy backhoes can inadvertently damage underground cables or hit critical equipment. That’s when it’s time to say, “Goodbye technology — at least until a repair crew can make amends.”
Network overload. When disaster strikes and everyone is simultaneously trying to make calls, send texts, access the same website, or upload cat videos, cell towers can be overwhelmed and bandwidth can reach its limit. The network congestion can leave you high and dry, with no signal to be found.
Cyber attacks. Cyber attacks can target telecommunication and internet networks, wreaking havoc on the infrastructure and crippling the entire system. It's like digital warfare that leaves you yearning for some network love.
While these situations may disrupt your cell and internet service, there are emergency communication devices to help you stay in touch with your friends, family, and SHTF support group.
Create an emergency communication plan
Learn what it takes to establish a communication plan when disaster strikes, or browse some of the emergency communication devices we recommend, including the Midland GMRS radio.