Being able to communicate in an emergency is not just handy, it can be a lifesaver. Your ability to coordinate within your group or to outside elements is an essential part of any plan.
In an emergency, it’s often not as simple as picking up the phone and calling. Cell networks can go down or be shut down. Power outages can knock out internet based communications. The weather, terrain or structures can affect satellite comms. Electronic counter measures can disrupt radio communications. All forms can fail (or be defeated), which is why it’s import to have a plan within your group.
Having a back up such as radios is not enough. You need to also set a plan or rules for utilising comms in an emergency situation.
Within your group ask these questions:
- What will you communicate on? What is your primary, alternate, contingent and emergency forms of communications? Will phone be primary? Voice or message? SMS or internet based messaging? Radio secondary? What channel? What range and in what terrain? Do you require relays?
- Who will you communicate to? Do you require teams set up on seperate frequencies or channels? Who is the main coordinator of the comms? Does everything go through them?
- What information needs to be communicated? Practice clear and concise reporting. If your are planning on using radios, practice speaking on them, they are not like mobile phones.
- When will you communicate? Do you need to consider radio check times (scheduled call in/monitoring time - scheds)? Do you require radio silence or no comms times?
It is worthwhile making this a formal communications plan and writing it down, and practicing it. In an emergency situation it is easy to forget. If you have other people come into your group it will be much easier to integrate them.
Some forms of comms to consider:
Mobile phones
PROS
Very accessible
Easy to use
Voice or message
Unlimited distance
CONS
Reliant on infrastructure
Can be shut down
Insecure to higher level (government) interception and tracking
UHF (walkie talkies)
PROS
Does not require outside infrastructure
Cheap (depending on power and quality)
Quick to communicate
Can broadcast messages to many at once
CONS
Short range
Insecure
Can be disrupted easily
Satellite comms
PROS
Work anywhere (with direct line of sight to sky)
Voice or message
CONS
Cost prohibitive
Can be difficult to use
Requires subscription
Internet based comms
PROS
Can be secure (E2E encrypted)
Easy to use
Fast
Long range
CONS
Reliant on infrastructure (often cellular)
As secure as the users make it
Can be compromised
This is not an exhaustive list, there are other forms of communication that you can use, including non technological ones (which I will cover later). This is just some of the most common ones we use/have access to here in Australia.
If you want to know specific types or brands that I recommend, comment below.
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