Communications During Crises And Emergencies

In this increasingly technological world, it is tempting to take our ease of communications – across any number of channels, using any number of devices – for granted. You want to find out information from someone, you want to pass on some news, you pick up your landline or mobile phone, write an email to send by computer, or – at a push – might even consider dropping your missive in a post box.

So, what’s your back up – what’s your emergency communications plan – when some kind of natural or manmade disaster or crisis means that any or all of those channels of usual communication are disrupted or fail altogether?

The need for planning

Without any kind of plan, you are already severely behind the curve when it comes to managing any crisis or emergency.

In the case of a communications breakdown, you need a plan to:

• identify whether you have alternative means of contacting family members and close friends;

• decide upon a common point where you can all meet up;

• establish who will put out the call for that meeting and how the communication will be made – in person, if necessary; and

• what longer-term plans you have if fixed telephone lines and mobile signals stay down for longer than a day or two.

Radio communications

When all forms of telecommunication are down, some enthusiasts will argue that the only way to go is radio communication.

One such source may be found at Graywolf Survival (the spelling will tell you it’s an American website) which sets out the pros and cons of various radio systems – from CB radio to satellite phones and Multi-Use Radio Services (MURS), such as General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service.

However, you are likely to find that to become a radio ham, you’ll need to spend a disproportionate amount of time – not to mention money – learning how systems work. And, in the type of emergency or crisis you’re likely to encounter in the UK radio communication is unlikely to be a great deal of help anyway.

UK emergency planning

You might be surprised by the extent and nature of the planning already put in place by the UK government for emergency planning – see, for example, this guidance published by the Cabinet Office.

The established planning contingencies are based primarily on a network of local responders including the police, includes the police, fire service, ambulance, NHS, local authorities, and the Environment Agency.

One level above the first responders – and unlikely to become involved in the immediate, day to day management of emergency management – are the so-called Category 2 responders who are responsible for planning how the infrastructures for which they are responsible will best respond. This group includes the NHS, Health and Safety Executive, and key participants from the public sector, such as the telecommunications companies.

These levels of response are formally defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

All of this planning is backed up by recognition at government level of the need for resilience of communications during any emergency or crisis.

There are already in place, for instance, quite sophisticated measures for maintaining that resilience, including:

• ResilienceDirect™;

• the High Integrity Telecommunications System (HITS);

• various privilege access schemes – ensuring access to both landline and mobile networks; and

• the Mobile Telecommunications Privileged Access Scheme (MTPAS).

Need to know

Against this background of government preparedness, you will want to make your own arrangements for emergency planning in the event of a breakdown in the systems on which you have grown to rely.

As with any efficient and realistic plan, your emergency communications plan needs to incorporate some basic, essential information – on the whereabouts of potentially key contacts and how you might contact or get messages to them.

When it is clear that communications are going to be on the blink you will need to make every call count. You must avoid unnecessary calls and concentrate only on those needed in an emergency. So, make sure you have a list (in a robust notebook) of:

• doctors’ telephone numbers, addresses, and how to contact them if telephone lines are down or mobile signals are unavailable; and

• list the same details for local emergency services and responders.

In most emergencies and crises at least some semblance of normal life will continue – and you’ll need to make every effort to stay tuned to those everyday patterns of daily routine. That means access to a list of contact details for:

• schools;

• teachers;

• neighbours – especially those you’d consider most vulnerable; and

• your own telephone numbers and contact details – you don’t want to be left scrabbling around for that vital information if the emergency services, for example, ask you for it.

Emergency medical information

During any emergency or crisis, ongoing medical conditions and illnesses may be made worse and become more serious.

It is essential that anyone using medication on a regular basis continues to do so, therefore, and your emergency communications planning needs to incorporate all the information relating to the use of that medications.

Make sure you know all the conditions and illnesses from which members of your party may be suffering, the medication they need to take, and any known allergies.