Emergency Communications: Our Phones Are Out, Now What?

In a regional emergency such as an earthquake, our communications systems—cell phones, land lines, and Internet— likely will fail. If it's a big earthquake, communications and power could be out for 10 days or more. As we survey our homes and neighborhood for casualties and damage, how can we communicate with members of our neighborhood disaster response team?

FRS (Family Radio Service) radios, which are small, portable hand-held devices that function similar to walkie-talkies, work well for short range communication. Although they have limited range, as an addition to dispatching runners, skateboarders, and bicyclists with handwritten notes, hand-held two-way radios may help and are an important part of your family’s disaster preparedness kit. Anyone who uses a mobile phone can, with a little training and practice (and fresh batteries), become a good FRS radio communicator.

Your DPG is planning a training session to show you how to use your FRS radio and we’ll practice our skills in a simulated drill. We’ll walk through the neighborhood with our radios to test their range. We’ll discover where we have transmission problems and where our radios work the best so we can plan accordingly.

Please purchase FRS radios and batteries for your family’s earthquake kit and bring them to our Emergency Communications Training:

Sunday, March 22, 2015, 1:30pm to 3:30pm

QUEEN ANNE PARK

1240 West Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Host: Chin Thammasaengsri CERT/DPG Vice Chair Instructor: Susan Silver CERT/NEAR Network

Buying your FRS radio

You can buy hand-held radios at most hardware and sporting goods stores, disaster suppliers, and general merchandise stores, as well as online. Both Motorola and Midland have a selection of moderately-priced models, as do several other brands.

NOTE: FRS radio operators don’t require a license but users of similar, more powerful, GMRS two-way radios must have an FCC (Federal Communications Commission)-issued license. Be aware of the distinction when you buy your radios. Some devices are marketed as "FRS/GMRS" or "dual-service devices" but, if you operate such a radio exclusively under FRS rules, you don’t need a license.

PLEASE RSVP TO MIDCITY68@HOTMAIL.COM

Want more info on the Disaster Preparedness Group (DPG)? Contact Debra at:   lacert2014@gmail.com