It's 4 AM you're almost thrown from bed and realize we just had a major earthquake. Your feet hit the floor you reach for the light switch, but nothing happens.
You start to wake up and think it's funny your pager hasn't gone off alerting you to the problem. You try your cell phone but no bars, there's no radio traffic on your fire district frequency, or any of the other frequency you try.
It's going to be days or weeks before communications are restored. Your immediate need is to triage the few patients who can make it to the fire station and try to establish communications with other areas or agencies.
You dig out a couple backup satellite phones, but they've been there for years and the batteries are dead. You need to get help from outside agencies, but to do that you need to be able to communicate.
Mohave County Emergency Management has one mobile communications unit but with wide spread damage and I-40, US-93 US-95 and most other roads damaged they're not coming to Dolan Springs or Meadview.
At this point your ability to gather injury and damage assessments are limited, outside agencies can't assist us without knowing what we need.
We live in a rural area with limited communications resources on the best day. We need to improve our local emergency communications because when communications fail, we have nothing?
Disasters in remote places have historically involved amateur radio operators. These “hams” have stepped in to provide assistance when other forms of communication fail. Disasters still happen regularly, and ham radio operators continue to serve the public with their skills and radio equipment.
Without the ability to communicate effectively during a major disaster I fear Dolan Springs and Meadview will suffer far more casualties.
You have no electricity, no water, landline and cell phones are down and roads are damaged and impassable..
How are you going to call for help?
Who are you going to call for help?
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