Yesterday's 5.8 Northeast US quake was an obvious reminder that our mobile networks are clearly not prepared and probably won't be for some time in cases of emergencies as we discussed in yesterday's post. So what should you do to help alleviate the communication gap between you, your loved ones and emergency personnel?
- Think land line phone first: Typically the first thing for most people is to grab their cell phone and try to find out what's going on. It's an impulse that can't be helped most of the time. Understandably so we all have family and friends who become our immediate concern in any stress filled eventful moment. Mobile tends to be the first thing that goes. Especially in this generation of mobile technology. More and more people are relying mobile to communicate and dropping hard wired phones in the process. Mobile can't handle the rush of simultaneous use by hundreds of thousands towards millions. The crush and strain on a in the wall telephone is likely to be nonexistent as we continue forward into the every growing world of wireless. So when the chips are down and if one is available, go grab the nearest desktop phone. You're chances of connecting will be heightened by the move.
- Use WiFi if available: Data is no different. The more we use together and simultaneously, the more it's likely to fail us. Especially on the mobile end. Same rule applies here as when attempting to make a phone call. We all want to know exactly what's going on and sometimes the phone is all we have, but if you are near a public space with WiFi access. Turn the setting on your device and connect to the WiFi hotspot and use the free data provided while it lasts.
- Don't congregate with large crowds in public areas: This is important for two reasons. First, that mobile device you're using has to connect to a nearby tower. In any given area there could be a few dozen to a few hundred or even thousand when you're thinking of NYC. More than likely, somewhere in that large crowd a person exists like you, with a phone similar to yours. More importantly that device is likely to be running on the same network. You being near one another decreases the efficiency of the signal both phones use to communicate with the tower. Now multiply that number by dozens or even hundreds. Now your service is next to gone. The phones do not have the ability of knowing when to switch to the next tower until you move into the next tower's service area. Second, it's just not wise to congregate in a large crowd during an emergency and near the emergency situation. I'm not Emergency Operations Planner, but in the age of terror it's best to keep it moving as far and as fast away from the situation as possible. I'll let the EOP personnel explain why.
- Only dial 911 in cases of genuine emergencies: Believe it or not, a lot of people resort to dialing 911 when information is hard to come by in situations of emergencies. It's wrong and it's dangerous. 911 switchboards, no matter how efficient have been terrible at standing the test of mass simultaneous calls in an emergency. Yesterday was no different for mobile. The network that forces your call through a congested network when calling 911 was rattled. Please keep in mind when using your phone. There are other people in true need of assistance. If you are hurt or near someone who is hurt. Please dial 911. If not please resort to other means of attempting to acquire needed information.
- Please help your fellow man or woman: In an emergency please consider your neighbors. Some may have the capacity to call for help but others may not. When things go bad please think of the person next to you and help out. Also please use your device with extreme consideration in times like these. There may be a person who is in need of making that phone call more than you. A less strained network allows us all to get help to those who badly need it the most.
As always be safe in good times and bad.
No comments:
Post a Comment