Prepare Now

Devise Communication Plan

Disasters play havoc with communications systems. Cell phone towers get toppled by high winds, switching stations and underground cables get engulfed by fire and flood, circuits get jammed by the surges of callers desperately trying to get in touch with loved ones. Gil Miller, a telecom specialist with Mitretek, a renowned Washington, D.C.-based science and engineering think tank, has spent 30 years advising government agencies and private employers on how to disaster-ready their phone and Internet service. What he tells them boils down to pretty much same advice he would give you and your family: Have a variety of communication devices. “Media companies are pushing you to have a single communication source. They want you to make all your calls on your cell phone, or to use your high-speed cable for your TV, computer, and phones. That's exactly what makes you vulnerable in a disaster,” explains Miller. “The more forms of communication you use, the less likely all of them will go down.” With that in mind, here are the tools you'll need for building a diverse disaster-proof communication system.

  • Transistor Radio
    You'll need to get news, information, and advisories from authorities. For this, there is no better alternative than a simple transistor radio or a NOAA weather radio with built-in AM receiver.
  • Text Messaging Capability To alert others to your location and condition, you'll want to have a cell phone with text messaging capabilities. Because of the narrower bandwidth required for text messaging, it's more likely texts will get through (use a simple “I am okay” or “Need help”) even when calls can't be completed.
  • Basic Corded Telephone
    You should always keep at least one old-fashioned corded telephone around the house. That's because it runs on the phone company's power source. So while the circuits can still jam, a corded phone will have a better chance of operating during a power outage — which will immediately knock out your cordless sets.
  • Designate an Out-of-Town Point Person
    Often times in a disaster it's easier to call long distance than it is to call locally. So think about a friend or relative who lives out of town who can be your family's point person in case you're not together when disaster strikes. Then make sure every family member carries the person's contact info with them at all times.
  • Pick A Physical Meeting Place
    Decide ahead of time on a place to meet and a plan of action for circling the herd. For example, after 9/11 a group of New York families created a "Family Circle" so they'll never have to go through the stress of not being able to get in touch with their spouses or children's schools. Each parent and child carries a card with all of the vital information they need to know incase of an emergency. Should an evacuation take place during school hours, the parents carry permission slips in their cars that give them the authority to remove another family's children from the schools they attend. As an added level of security, every circle member also has a password known only to them and the school administrators that lets them remove the kids even if the permission slips have been lost.
  • ICE
    Get everyone in your family to punch the acronym ICE (for “In Case of Emergency”) into their cell phone along with the number of the person you'd want contacted if they're injured and can't respond. Started by a British paramedic in 2005 (and really jump-started by the July 2005 London terrorist bombing), ICE is increasingly recognized by police, fire, and ambulance crews on this side of the pond.
  • Walkie-talkies
    Remember when you were a kid planning for an imaginary disaster, and a walkie-talkie was always involved? Well, it still is. Today's basic units, work within six miles on standard batteries. They can be an effective means of communication during short forays for additional supplies or if family members evacuate in separate cars.