Thursday, October 24, 2013

Things To Know About Emergency Communication Equipment

By Elena McDowell


At an early age, everyone is taught to prepare for any emergency. An emergency is defined as any situation with immediate ramifications to property, health, life, or environment. Some emergencies require agency or government intervention to keep the situation from worsening, while some just need assistance on the aftermath of the event. In these situations, emergency communication equipment is often used.

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.

Of course, these tools aren't just for the government and responders. Civilians, businesses, and families can benefit from having a means to send and receive information in times of disaster. Understanding the situation can help people feel more in control, and aid them in dealing with any disaster.

Emergency communication equipment comes in various kinds. These include cross link systems, radio signaling and dispatch equipment, ham radios, weather radios, short-wave radios, and 2-way radios. These are meant to endure instances where there is no power available and no phone lines are working.

To coordinate and be able to respond in the correct place at the right time, medical, police, and fire departments use radio communication. There are instances when the difference between life and death could be decided upon by proper communication. If a time critical situation occurs and there are no operable phone lines, agencies make use of repeaters. These can sometimes be used to record relevant information, can be operated using electricity or batteries, portable, accessible using VHF or UHF channels, and can withstand water downpour.

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.

A short-wave radio, often called amateur radio, is a means of communication using radio waves. It can be operated on batteries, solar energy, and electricity. With the proper frequency, people can communicate updates, situation changes, and safe zones. Two-way radios are similar to short-wave radios in that they both use radio waves. Commonly battery operated, these are easy to operate and requires little to no training in order to use. However, it cannot be accessed over long distances unlike short wave radios.

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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