| A disaster is chaos, by definition. Disasters result | | | | radios vital to their efforts, as well. Families can |
| in confusion and misdirection. Many people want to | | | | use these radios to stay connected to each other |
| help, but unfortunately, often add to the turmoil. | | | | when they cannot be with each other. This also |
| The biggest hurdle in a disaster is communication. | | | | allows a member, or members, of the family to |
| Everything from interpersonal interactions to | | | | stay connected to the rest of the family while |
| professional rescuer communications breaks down | | | | they venture out of the area to get help. |
| during a disaster. The key to getting through and | | | | Businesses can assign radios to key emergency |
| recovering from a disaster is to get these | | | | response personnel to help facilitate organized and |
| communications back on track. | | | | pre-planned emergency responses. These radios |
| When a disaster strikes, whether a large-scale, | | | | provide a quick, and reliable, means of organizing a |
| multi-area disaster or a small, single building | | | | coordinated evacuation and response to any |
| disaster, communication breakdown can mean | | | | disaster situation. |
| added chaos. The stress of the situation can | | | | Two-way radios provide an inexpensive way to |
| strain even person-to-person contact and render | | | | ensure adequate communication during a disaster. |
| normal means of communication useless. Phone | | | | Users do not need to license a frequency for |
| lines, radio and cellular towers, and electricity may | | | | infrequent use during emergencies. Since two-way |
| all be knocked out during a disaster, further | | | | radios are used to provide on scene emergency |
| crippling communications. This leads to a need for | | | | communication when other means are not |
| a different form of communication. | | | | available, or feasible, businesses and individuals do |
| This is where 2-way radios come in. Two-way | | | | not have to go to the extra expense of licensing. |
| radios do not rely on phone lines, electricity | | | | It is important to get a high quality radio set (or |
| (except to charge the batteries), or towers. They | | | | multiple sets.) A range of 8 to 10 miles is good |
| will transmit messages as far as 12 miles in | | | | even when dealing with communications within a |
| optimal conditions. They allow for regular voice | | | | building or mall geographic area. The added range |
| communication and require no special training or | | | | ensures the quality of transmission within the |
| expensive equipment. | | | | building. It is important to keep the radios charged |
| When disaster strikes and communications are | | | | and in an accessible location should they be |
| down, even professional rescuers turn to | | | | needed. |
| two-way radios for effective transmissions. When | | | | During a rapid evacuation families may get |
| Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wiped out cellular and | | | | separated. They need to be able to find each |
| radio communications in the Gulf Coast, many | | | | other to make sure they get to their designated |
| rescuers turned to 2-way radios to ensure | | | | location safely. Companies often need to |
| continued connections with each other and | | | | coordinate a rapid evacuation of a building during a |
| command. These two ways provided a link to | | | | fire or other emergency situation. During these |
| other rescuers in the immediate area and also a | | | | evacuations people need direction, and the |
| chain of information that could be fed back to | | | | movement of various groups needs to be |
| command centers in the storm ravaged areas. | | | | synchronized, to ensure the migration to safety is |
| Many fire and emergency medical services rely on | | | | organized and effective. Communication is the |
| two-way radios at fire and accident scenes to | | | | key, in these scenarios, to ensuring everyone |
| keep personnel connected when in perilous | | | | gets out and makes it to safety. Two-way radios |
| situations. Since operations often take place in | | | | provide this communication in any situation. |
| remote areas, or areas with poor radio and | | | | Whether coordinating large scale rescue and |
| cellular reception, two-way radios become a | | | | evacuation efforts in a major disaster or simply |
| necessity for communicating with each other. | | | | ensuring the family gets out and organized safely, |
| Rescuer safety and continuity of care for victims | | | | two-way radios provide that much needed |
| relies on the appropriate and accurate passing of | | | | communication, no matter the situation. Since |
| information from rescuer to rescuer. Without | | | | these radios do not rely on landlines or towers |
| communication lives are placed in jeopardy and | | | | they can be up and running immediately in an |
| emergency scenes quickly turn hazardous. This | | | | emergency. They work when disasters have |
| communication often takes place over licensed | | | | knocked out other communication methods. They |
| frequencies to avoid the leaking of information or | | | | provide the ever-important link in disaster |
| breaking in by other users. | | | | situations. From professional rescuers to families |
| Two-way radio communication during a disaster is | | | | and businesses, quality two-way radios are an |
| not limited to professional rescuers. Many | | | | essential part of a good disaster preparedness |
| individuals and businesses find the use of two-way | | | | plan. |