Page 37 - PCCAJournal3rdQuarter2011

PCCA Journal|3 rd Quarter 2011 37

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s part of National Preparedness Month in September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communica-tions Commission (FCC) released new tips for consumers aimed at preparing them for major disasters when commu-nications networks are more likely to be compromised or damaged. Earlier this fall, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Irene struck the East Coast. In the minutes and hours that followed, mobile networks experienced significant network congestion, temporarily making it harder for millions of people to reach loved ones and emergency services. This tip sheet aims to help prepare Americans about how to communicate with each other in the event of another disaster. “Between the East Coast earthquake, Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and wildfires in Texas and California, we have had a lot of powerful reminders lately that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere—and can often make it dif-ficult for the public to communicate with friends, loved ones or emergency person-nel,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “An important part of preparing for disasters includes getting ready for potential communications challenges, whether caused by power outages or heavy cell network congestion. These simple tips are easy for anyone to follow and could make a world of difference when it matters the most.”

Before a Disaster

1. Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers in your cell phone and in or near your home phone.

2. Keep charged batteries and car-phone chargers available for back-up power for your cell phone.

3. If you have a traditional landline (non-broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless phone in your home because if it will work even if you lose power.

4. Prepare a family contact sheet. This should include at least one out-of-town contact that may be better able to reach family members in an emergency.

5. Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can con-tact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone. Let your ICE contacts know that they are programmed into your phone and inform them of any medical issues or other special needs you may have.

6. If you are evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number.

7. If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.

8. Have a battery-powered radio or television available (with spare bat-teries).

9. Subscribe to text alert services from

local or state governments to receive alerts in the event of a disaster. Par-ents should sign up for their school district emergency alert system.

During and After a Disaster

1. If you have a life-threatening emer-gency, call 9-1-1. Remember that you cannot currently text 9-1-1. If you are not experiencing an emergency, do not call 9-1-1. If your area offers 3-1-1 service or another information system, call that number for non-emergencies.

2. For non-emergency communications, use text messaging, e-mail, or social media instead of making voice calls on your cell phone to avoid tying up voice networks. Data-based services like texts and emails are less likely to experience network congestion. You can also use social media to post your status to let family and friends know you are okay. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, you can use resources such as the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well program (www.redcross.org/safeandwell).

3. Keep all phone calls brief. If you need to use a phone, try to convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family.

4. If you are unsuccessful in complet-ing a call using your cell phone, wait ten seconds before redialing to help reduce network congestion.

5. Conserve your cell phone bat-

Safety News continued on page 38

Agencies Offer Tip Sheet on How to Communicate During Disasters