Hurricane Communications Tips and Recommendations
Greetings,
As hurricane season approaches, ensuring you can stay in contact with loved ones becomes crucial. Over the past few months, social media has been filled with various suggestions on the best ways to maintain communication during hurricanes. Here at the Anemoi Incident Response Auxcomm Team, we aim to provide clarity by offering our best practices, tips, and recommendations, while debunking many circulating myths.
1. Plan:
Develop a Communication Plan: Integrate your communication strategy into your overall hurricane preparedness plan. Identify who you need to communicate with, whether they are local or across the country, and design your plan to meet those needs.
2. Devices:
Choose Suitable Devices: Select communication devices that fit your needs and have a backup plan in case a device becomes inoperable. Consider the range of devices available and their respective pros and cons.
3. Power:
Have a Power Plan: Plan for power outages by preparing backup power sources such as generators or power banks. Ensure you have enough power to keep your communication devices operational during an extended outage.
4. Expect Communication Failures:
Stay Calm: Despite thorough planning, communication failures can and will happen. Be prepared for all devices to potentially fail, and have a contingency plan in place.
Communication Devices Breakdown:
A. Cell Phones:
Pros:
Easy to use and widely accessible.
Cons:
Cell towers and internet services are prone to failure during hurricanes.
Recommendations:
Include cell phones in your plan, but do not rely solely on them. Some suggest using Starlink, a reliable but expensive service.
B. FRS Radios (Family Radio Service):
Pros:
Inexpensive, easy to operate, no internet needed.
Cons:
Limited range, typically only 1/4 to 1/2 mile, despite claims of 20-40 miles.
Recommendations:
Useful for neighborhood communication, but not reliable for broader use. We suggest passing on these for more robust options.
C. GMRS Radios (General Mobile Radio Service):
Pros:
Wider coverage area, potentially 10-20 miles with proper setup, no internet needed.
Cons:
Requires a $35 license, and equipment costs range from $100 to $200 for mobile radios. A good base antenna costs between $75 and $150. Both parties need the same setup for effective communication.
Recommendations:
GMRS radios are becoming more popular and are recommended for wider area coverage. Ensure you have an antenna at least 30 feet high and use mobile radios with 50 watts for optimal performance.
D. Amateur Radio:
Pros:
Wide range coverage, can use a 5-watt portable radio if within range of a repeater. If properly licensed, you can use high frequency. Able to send emails without internet service through amateur radio with a special program.
Cons:
Must be licensed, requires passing a test, license fees are $35, and equipment can be expensive.
Recommendations:
We highly recommend anyone to take a class and start their journey into amateur radio. If amateur radio is not for you, seek out local operators who can assist in contacting family and friends during a hurricane.
E. Satellite Phones:
Pros:
Can communicate across the USA with the right plan.
Cons:
Equipment and service are very expensive.
Recommendations:
Due to the high cost, we do not recommend this type of communication unless absolutely necessary.
F. Zello:
Pros:
Easy to use, no cost, works through an app on your cell phone.
Cons:
Must have cell service or internet service to operate Zello.
Recommendations:
We recommend using Zello as part of your communication plan.
With many different ways to communicate, it’s important to recognize that each one can fail. Plan accordingly and include multiple methods in your strategy.
As part of our disaster relief efforts, Anemoi Incident Response volunteers are equipped with various communication forms. We aim to quickly set up communication systems that enable residents in affected areas to connect with family and friends, even where cell and internet services are unavailable.
We hope this information helps you develop a comprehensive communication plan for hurricane season. If you would like assistance to setup your plan or have questions, please email us as info@myanemoi.org
Stay safe,
Anemoi Incident Response Auxcomm Team
www.myanemoi.org
