Saturday, October 19, 2013

Important Facts About Emergency Communication Equipment

By Elena McDowell


Even as children, people are taught to be prepared in cases of emergency. An emergency can be defined as a situation with pressing consequences to health, property, environment, and even life. There are emergencies where government and agency intervention may be required to contain that situation, and some where assistance is required after the disaster. In any of these cases, emergency communication equipment is integral.

Emergencies can either be man-made or natural. Natural emergencies include calamities like earthquakes, tornadoes, and typhoons. Man-made disasters include fires, bombs, terrorist attacks, and riots. There are government agencies who define how to communicate, manage, and mitigate loss of life during disasters through the use of different equipment.

However, responders and government agencies aren't the only ones who should make use of these tools. Having the ability to receive and send details about an emergency can also be taken advantage of by families, businesses, and civilians. The proper information can make people believe that they have control of the situation, and can thus find ways to cope and survive.

There are various emergency communication types. These include short-wave radios, 2-way radios, repeaters, weather radios, radio dispatch and signaling equipment, repeaters, and cross link systems. These items are made to withstand situations where phone and power lines are not working.

Fire, police, and medical agencies depend on radio communication to coordinate and point them in the right direction. Failure to communicate can be the deciding factor between life and death. Repeaters are important in these agencies in case phone lines are inoperable and there is a critical incident to cover. Most of these units are water resistant, can run in both VHF and UHF bands, portable, can run in both battery and electricity, and can be even be used to record messages.

Although the usual means of communication is the mobile phone, due to its accessibility and wide-spread use, it requires a mobile network signal for it to work. Chances are you wouldn't even have a signal if any broadcast tower fails. In dire instances where lives may be lost, people normally call loved ones to see how they're doing. This tends to congest network, consequently reducing chances of successful communication. In these instances, weather radios, two-way, and short-wave radios are more efficient.

Short-wave radios or amateur radios facilitate communication through radio waves. It runs on solar energy, battery, and electricity. Using the correct frequency, its easy to communication situation changes, updates, and list safe zones. Two-way radios are almost the same as short-wave radios since they both make use of radio waves. Often battery operated, these doesn't require extensive training, and can be used by anyone. However, it is virtually useless when used outside of range.

Over the years, other emergency communication equipment have been invented and made public. These include public address or PA systems that are strategically placed in public areas, streets, and buildings. This allows information to be disseminated over a large area. To accommodate situations where hearing may be impaired, like in places where bombing occurs, LED signs are posted in public places. Other forms of communication include digital signage that appear in huge televisions and voice systems like those in military facilities and manufacturing plants.




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