This is where Amateur radio comes in. "One of the basic tenets of Amateur Radio is to provide a pool of experienced communicators during emergencies." If anyone is interested in knowing more information, you can visit the ARRL website: http://www.arrl.org Also, The ARRL will offer a free Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course (ARECC) seminar Friday, June 13, in conjunction with the ARRL Northwest Division Convention, SeaPac, in Seaside, Oregon. See: http://www.seapac.org/ --- "Dorning, Kevin E - DI-3" <kedorning@private> wrote: > In past emergency's where Cell phones were a primary > means of communications, there were considerable > problems in getting essential messages through. I > know that a friend at one of the local utilities > told me that during the 95/06 floods and storm > season, they sometimes had crews waiting up to 4 > hours after completing an emergency repair, for > their next assignment. This was because they relied > on Cell's for communications, and the cell circuits > were jammed because of outages on the surface phone > lines. It is also a phenomenon that whenever there > is a disaster/emergency of any magnitude in a > geographical area, the phone systems are maxed > almost immediately with family contact calls. > Some of us have Government Emergency Telephone Cards > (GETS) that allow us to break in to the phone system > for emergency communications, However, I don't > think that the cards cover cell communications at > this time. > > An additional problem with wireless communications > is that they rely on fixed broadcast and repeater > sites, which, in a major earthquake situation may > not be fixed any longer. > > For real emergency communications, most people are > going to Sattelite phones, but this is a very > expensive service to maintian just for emergency > use. > > K.d> > > Kevin E. Dorning > Chief Information Security Officer > Office of the CIO DI-3 > Bonneville Power Administration - USDOE > 503-230-3082 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: George Heuston > [mailto:GeorgeH@private] > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 9:17 AM > To: crime@private > Subject: CRIME FW: Wireless Communications during > disaster? > > > Forwarded at Rich's request (he's doing the Rose > Festival gig, and not > at a terminal today)... > > -----Original Message----- > From: Goerling, Richard J. LT (TAD to CGIC Portland) > [mailto:RIGoerling@private] > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 8:55 AM > To: George Heuston > Subject: Wireless Communications during disaster? > > I'd like to get some input from those of you who > have expertise in > wireless communications. I know these are rather > expansive questions, > and the issues related to them, security and > otherwise, are myriad. > However, the basics are what I'm after: > > --What are the weaknesses of relying on cell phones, > during post-natural > disaster or man-made disaster, for a public safety > agency's > communications (Coast Guard in this case)? > > --Are other wireless forms of comms more reliable > than cell phones? > > As a part of a broad-based Port Security Plan > covering the Oregon, > Idaho, Southern Washington region. We are looking at > what comms options > we should consider as a contingency for a > disaster... any input would be > appreciated. > > Regards, > > Rich > > Richard Goerling > U.S. Coast Guard MSO/Group Portland > 6767 N. Basin Avenue > Portland, OR 97217 > (503) 247-4018 office > (503) 240-9302 fax > (503) 849-2026 cell > > >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Jun 06 2003 - 11:15:15 PDT