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Communicating During Emergencies

During emergencies - local, state, and national - the importance of our country’s telecommunications and broadcast systems becomes clear. We use our phones to call 911 or to call our family members to make sure they are safe; we turn on our televisions and radios to get information updates.

While there is no doubt that our country has one of the world’s most extensive and dependable telecommunications and broadcast systems, unusual conditions can put a strain on it.

The following information will help you better understand what happens within the telecommunications and broadcast systems during an emergency and how best to use these systems during a crisis or disaster.

 Emergency Communications Components 

There are three main components to emergency communications:

  1. 911 telephone call processing and delivery through the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and wireless call dispatch;

  2. the Emergency Alert System; and

  3. local radio and/or broadcast or cable television station news and updates.

All of these components must operate effectively in order to achieve a successful response to an emergency.

 911 Calls 

Emergency personnel and others often learn about emergencies through 911 calls. When you dial 911 in most areas, the call is routed to the appropriate dispatch center or PSAP.

"Enhanced 911" (E911) is an improved form of the basic 911 service that automatically routes the 911 call to the nearest PSAP. It then sends the phone number of the caller to the PSAP (which allows the PSAP to callback in the event the call gets disconnected), and provides information about the caller’s location. Most wireline 911 phone calls are E911 capable because the phone number of the caller gets transmitted to the PSAP that then cross-references the phone number against a database to determine the physical location of the caller. Many wireless 911 phone calls are now able to transmit a callback number to the PSAP but because the wireless caller is mobile, location information about the 911 call is more difficult to obtain than with a wireline phone. Wireless carriers have begun to deploy technology that will enable PSAPs to obtain location information about wireless callers.

The emergency dispatcher uses location information to direct public safety personnel responding to the emergency to ensure the shortest possible emergency response time.

 Public Safety Answering Point and Wireless Call Dispatch 

At the PSAP, the operator verifies the caller’s location, determines the nature of the emergency, and decides which emergency response teams should be notified. Sometimes a single primary PSAP will answer for an entire region. In most cases, the caller is then transferred to a secondary PSAP from which help will be sent. Secondary PSAPs are sometimes located at fire dispatch offices, municipal police headquarters, or ambulance dispatch centers. Communities that don’t have PSAPs rely on public safety emergency operators and communications centers to process emergency calls.

Once the call is processed, the PSAP operator or dispatch center alerts the appropriate emergency response team. During emergencies, radio systems frequently are used by emergency units and officers at the scene to coordinate activities among all emergency personnel - fire, rescue, police, dispatchers, etc. - with the emergency units on their way and with dispatchers at command bases.

At the present time, wireline phones and analog wireless phones can transmit 911 calls to PSAPs from callers using text telephone devices (TTYs). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) encourages TTY users to call 911 directly for immediate service. However, if TTY users choose to contact a PSAP via Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), TRS centers will need to forward the TTY caller’s essential information (phone number to identify location) to the PSAP, delaying transmission of this information to the PSAP. Digital wireless phones cannot currently transmit 911 calls to PSAPs from callers using TTy devices, but the digital wireless service providers are currently working to implement this capability in their systems.

 Network Damage and Black-outs 

If the telecommunications network is damaged in a disaster, your wireline or wireless phone and text pager may not work. If only your electricity goes out (a "black-out"), your telephone may still work. In a black-out, you still may be able to use your wireline phone because electricity and telephone transmissions travel on different wires. If you keep the battery on your wireless phone and text pager fully charged, you should be able to use these, too, in a black-out.

Text pagers have a built-in radio transmitter/receiver. Messages are transmitted over the wireless network, a nationwide network of radio towers that transmit data. Some text pagers can subscribe to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service for any weather alerts.

 The Emergency Alert System/Radio and Television Updates

In the event of an emergency, many people stay tuned to local radio and/or television stations to receive updates on what is happening and what to do.

There is a nationwide broadcast system in place for national disaster or other large-scale disasters. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) provides not only the President, but national, state, and local authorities, with the ability to give emergency information to the general public via broadcast, cable and wireless cable systems.

All broadcast stations and cable systems are required to broadcast emergency alerts and messages for national security emergencies initiated by the President. Broadcast stations and cable systems are not required to broadcast EAS alerts and messages initiated by state and local authorities, but the FCC encourages broadcast licensees and cable operators to transmit emergency alerts as a public service. Information about local natural disasters is often broadcast via EAS.

All EAS broadcasts should be accessible by audio and visual means, or simply visual means, including closed-captioning, open-captioning, crawls or scrolls.

Exception: If your local television/radio tower or studio is damaged during a natural disaster like a tornado, you may not receive the signal.

 Accessibility of Emergency Information 

Because broadcast stations and cable systems are not required to broadcast EAS alerts and messages initiated by state and local authorities, the FCC has separate requirements to meet the needs of persons with disabilities in cases of local emergencies. The FCC requires that any information that is intended to further the protection of life, health, safety, or property, such as immediate weather situations, civil disorders, evacuation orders, school closings, relief assistance, etc., be accessible to persons to persons with disabilities. These rules apply to all local broadcasters, cable operators, and satellite television services. There are no exemptions to these rules and they apply any time emergency information is provided. Critical details about the emergency must be provided in a visual format, such as open captions, scrolls, or even hand-lettered signs. The critical details must also be provided in an aural format. If crawls or scrolls are provided during regular programming, an aural tone is required to indicate to persons who are blind or who have low vision that emergency information is being provided.

 Tips 

In the event of an emergency:

This information is from the Federal Communications Commission