Tuesday 22 October 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 be grouped into natural or man-made. Natural emergencies are calamities like tornadoes, earthquakes, and typhoons. Man-made ones, on the other hand, include bombs, fires, riots, and terrorist attacks. Some government offices are responsible for defining the means to manage, communicate, and minimize death by using a number of 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 different types of emergency communication equipment. Among these types are 2-way radios, short-wave radios, weather radios, repeaters, ham radios, radio dispatch and signaling equipment, and cross link systems. Equipment like these is built to survive cases where power and phone lines are down.

Police, fire, and medical departments depend on having radio communication as a means of coordinating and pinpointing the proper location. Failing to communicate may turn life to death in some instances. Repeaters are useful in these specific agencies in cases where the phone lines aren't working and a time bound incident is present. Repeaters can be run in UHF and VHF bands, not easily water damaged, can record important messages, and can be run using electricity and batteries.

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.

Through the years, these are other forms of emergency communication equipment developed. An example is PA or public address systems often placed strategically in streets, public areas, and buildings. Through this, information is spread to a larger area. To address situations where hearing loss is possible, like during bombings, LED signs are put up in public areas. Other forms include virtual signs that appear in large projectors and voice systems similar to those found in military compounds and manufacturing sites.




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