Whenever the emergency prevails, communication becomes of vital importance. From temporary emergency to disaster, everyone wants to communicate in no time. Different methods of communications are available depending upon which you can avail. Because the severe disasters result in the power outage or blockage in mobile services.
Many International organizations and unions have worked to derive a mechanism for communication. They have made different sources like the Apps or radios. Imagine you might have stuck in a disaster, you don’t know how to communicate exactly and utilize the available resources. That’s why a pretty knowledge of how to communicate in a disaster is critical for you. Here you will learn different ways to communicate and how you can receive help in case of emergency.
Let’s dive right in:
Use the Mobile Phone to Communicate in An Emergency
You heard about an emergency, what will be your first action there. Definitely, you will rush to make emergency calls either for help or to inform your beloved ones. As you know, you are not alone in that emergency. So, everyone will be trying to make calls and may result in network congestion. To avoid this panic, you must follow these advice:
- Prefer to use SMS services in an emergency.
- Make brief calls for need and possibly limit it to emergency calls.
- Don’t make constant calls. Wait for at least 10 seconds after a call.
- Connect your landline calls to the mobile, so you may not lose information
- Try to subscribe to the local text services to receive the updated information.
- Keep your mobile phone charged and make a list of emergency numbers in your cell.
Inform and Stay Updated on Social Media
If you were not able to make a call due to network congestion, use social media platforms. Besides getting the updated information on emergency, you can tell your friends about your condition. You can make a post on any social media platform like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Heading a step forward, Facebook and Google provide additional Services.
The Facebook safety check is a feature introduced to check the safety of people in a certain range of disaster locations. By using the safety check, you can tell about your safety. And by notification you can also be notified of your friend’s safety. So, if you find yourself in difficulty and also want to know about others’ safety, go to Facebook safety check.
You can also use Google Crisis Response to receive information on the crisis. Visiting this page will give you whole information and even products to get informed. From maps to public and SOS alerts, and from news to emergency numbers, you can get everything.
Twitter moments can also be used to report emergencies. Basically, the Twitter moment is the most curated stories with relevant tweets and present conditions. If you want to inform the organizations about the disaster, use the right hashtags. In case of network issues, use Twitter light to stay updated on the latest information.
Use Apps for Emergency Communication
A number of apps are available which you can use to communicate in an emergency.
FEMA: It provides you the best and shorthand way to receive critical information in an emergency. FEMA provides critical alerts, preparedness tips, safety notifications, and disaster resources.
Disaster Alert: Get the latest information about the upcoming disasters like cyclones and floods by their severity and threat level.
Life 360: By creating a network with your family and friends, you can receive alerts as well as messages by using your specific location.
Weather Underground: Provides basic information about the weather with hyperlocal weather forecasts to your mobile phone.
ICE Medical Standard: Reach out to the first responder to get immediate help and receive emergency information.
Red Cross: With a slew of apps, Red Cross gives you critical information and immediate help.
SirenGPS: Easily receive medical help and siren alerts by using SirenGPS.
Satellite Phone is a Good Alternative for Emergency Communication
Satellite phones or SAT phones connect to radios or telephones using orbiting satellites instead of ground satellites. It is the easy and best way to communicate with your beloved ones even when the cell phones are not working due to network blockage. It works independently of the network availability. Additionally, it works in all the geographical regions. SAT phone is pricier but very effective to communicate in an emergency. If you are going to buy a satellite phone, check if it is legal in your country. Because satellite phone services are limited to many countries.
Use Amateur Radio to Communicate in All the Emergencies
If you cannot avail of the above-mentioned options to communicate in an emergency, Amateur radio will be your best companion. Amature radio is also known as HAM radios. It works by the use of a radiofrequency spectrum to provide you emergency information. HAM radio is operated by using battery or generator-powred equipment to keep you in touch with the world during an emergency.
Amateur Radio is represented by the International Amateur Radio Union, which has its members in most of the countries. But the license is necessary to avail the services of HAM radio. You can get a license by passing a test with basic knowledge of technicalities in radios and regulations of government for radio usage. Amateur license is available in the countries in which it issues, while some restrict it, like Cuba or Syria.
Besides all these methods you can use a two-way radio, citizens band radio or Walkie Talki. It is normal that during emergencies or disasters, there is no electricity. So keep the car charger, batteries, and solar chargers in your emergency kit. If you already have information about the emergency, make a plan on how to cope and utilize the resources.
So that’s it for my guide to communicate in an emergency.
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