eHam.net News

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Radio Waves: Classic Communication Can Save Lives in Emergency Situations:

Posted: 24 Jul 2016 05:15 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37249


Our society has become dependent upon technology in just about every area
of life, especially when it comes to information and communication, and the
systems we rely on are remarkably fragile. Local coastal telephone
landlines, for example, travel to the Willamette Valley and back, so, even
if making a local call, the signal travels some distance. Any number of
things can happen to disrupt those lines. Cell phone signal capacity
easily becomes overwhelmed in high use situations. What happens, then, in
an emergency situation if there's no wi-fi because the Internet and power
are out, the smart phone has no signal, and the landlines are silent? Jenny
Demaris, Emergency Manager for Lincoln County, says the local association
of ham radio operators will be "one of the critical behind-the-scenes
volunteer groups that will be the back bone of communications when
principal systems fail or are overloaded." Demaris goes on to say that, in
a Cascadia event, planners anticipate losing all cell and landline
communications systems. "As long as emergency fuel is available to run
generators, line-of-sight radios will work vehicle to vehicle so long as
the batteries are charged," she said. "Amateur radio will step in to
provide critical communications between communities, hospitals, tribes,
etc." Amateur radios are one of several redundant communications systems,
including marine band and CB or citizens band, that emergency responders
will use in an emergency. Demaris emphasizes that, when we have a Cascadia
or other significant emergency, it will be an "information drought event;"
something that will take most people by surprise. "The general population
as a whole will be dependent on a very small group," explains Demaris. "As
radio frequencies will be used for critical services, other information
will have to be relayed."