Thursday 30 January 2014

Emergency Communication Equipment Is Important

By Serena Price


Emergency Communication Equipment is Important when putting together your disaster bag. You will want to stay abreast of updates and reports plus be in contact with loved ones and relief crews. Choose either a Ham Radio, Satellite Phone, Walkie-Talkie, Cell Phone, or a Hand-crank Radio to keep you in touch with others during a crisis.

Ham radio, also called shortwave radio, has been used in every disaster and crisis for more than 100 years. The reason is that they are not limited to only one frequency for communicating. The shortwave frequency bounces off the ionosphere and will actually curve around the earth which makes its reach longer. A signal can be received as far away as several thousand kilometers or a different continent. In addition, most operators know and use Morse code which can transmit when voice cannot. A Ham radio will also have a self enclosed battery or generator making an external power source unnecessary.

A Satellite Phone does not rely on cell networks in order to operate. Instead they connect to orbiting satellites and provide the same functions a cell phone offers. These are voice, short messaging and limited internet. Any overload to the cell phone network will not have an effect on this option. As long as the satellites are orbiting the earth you will be able to make use of this option.

Walkie-Talkies are hand held two-way radios. Battery operated, these do not use cell towers or phone lines. As long as there are no large obstacle such as buildings, a mountain, or large grouping of trees, a person can speak with another person 1 mile up to 35 miles away.

Though the previous recommendations are for items that do not use the same network as a cell phone, that does not mean cell phones cannot still be useful during a disaster. Text messages and the internet use different bandwidth than voice calls do so if the network should be overloaded, you can still get a text message through. You should also be able to access the internet through your data plan to communicate with others. Do not forget that social media has proven to be useful in the past during times of crisis.

A Hand-crank radio is also a valuable item to have in your bag. Though you cannot send voice message over it, you will be able to gather information from radio and weather stations. This equipment are powered by cranking a handle that in turn powers its internal generator. This is useful not only because it provides its own energy but also because today's units have ports for charging cell phones, they have a reading light, emergency light, and other safety features. Also, most have a solar panel for providing its energy.

Which ever equipment you choose, store plenty of batteries. Check them according to manufactures instructions to ensure they are fresh when needed. Also, invest in a solar converter to ensure you will be able to operate your equipment.

Emergency communication equipment Is Important to the safety and peace of mind of your family and yourself during a disaster or crisis. Put together a preparedness bag that includes not only food, water, and medical supplies, but also one of the suggestions from above.




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