Shelter Me: You, your cellphone and a disaster — what to do when communications go wonky
They entertain us, direct us back home from unfamiliar neighborhoods, answer trivial questions. Our cellphones are our lifeline to dozens of daily tasks. But what happens when you need your mobile most — to communicate during a disaster — and find that it isn’t working?
We talked to experts to find out the best ways to communicate during and after an emergency. Here’s what — and what not — to do when things get bad and communications go wonky.You’ve probably experienced this at a concert or other crowded event: Everyone gets on their cell at the same time and the local networks become overwhelmed. The result is dropped calls or sluggish data connections.
She also counsels restraint when dialing emergency services. “It’s essential to know when it’s appropriate to call 911,” said Flynn-Nevins. “For instance, following an earthquake, the only time to call is for life-threatening emergencies so you don’t clutter communications.”Trying to contact someone who is also inside the disaster area can present challenges, say experts. They suggest picking an out-of-state contact to whom all members of your family or social group can reach out individually.
“Radio is a very efficient way to receive up-to-date information. After all, it’s how we communicated nationally once upon a time,” she said. While radios aren’t able to send communications, they are a reliable way to get news. A portable radio is an essential item in a disaster kit. The significant downside is that aforementioned data connection requirement. Your phone must be connected to a cellular network or internet-connected Wi-Fi. Company executives say that Zello has been optimized to use small amounts of data, so it operates even when data connections are poor.
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