Editor’s note: This is the third and final installment of columns devoted to emergency preparedness provided by the City of Malibu.
Accurate and timely information is one of your most important tools during and after a disaster. Without knowing the facts, making the right critical decisions is impossible. History has demonstrated that, after a disaster, the communications services we take for granted in our daily lives-telephones, computers, radio and television-may become unavailable due to equipment destruction, malfunction or overload. It takes some planning to overcome the communications challenges. Here are some options.
Telephone
Power outage: Will your telephone work without electricity?
Although your home telephone system requires no power, these days most of our phones (especially the cordless types) require electricity to operate. When the power goes out, you will not be able to use the phone or hear it ring. Be sure you have at least one telephone that requires no AC power. These are not expensive and can be found at major electronics stores, including Radio Shack.
Telephone overload: Both cellular and conventional telephone systems are designed to accommodate only a fraction of all subscribers using the phone at the same time. Immediately after a disaster, avoid using the telephone unless there is an emergency to report. If you must make a call, keep it as short as possible. Bear in mind that the city may be trying to make mass telephone notifications with its “Connect-CTY” system, and system overload will prevent those important calls from getting through. Also, after an earthquake, check to be sure all your conventional telephones are still “on the hook.” If the handset comes off the cradle, it will tie up the phone line unnecessarily, adding to the overload effect.
Local vs. long distance: It is possible that although the local telephone exchanges are damaged, your long distance service will still work. Select a friend or relative who lives out of state to be a central point of contact for your family. Remember, the Malibu Hotline will be continually updated with the latest recorded information about the emergency: call 310.456.9982.
Cell phones, texting and Internet: These days, much information can be received using cell phones and smart phones such as Blackberry or iPhones. Make sure you are subscribed to a variety of e-mail or text service providers for emergency messages. Some good ones are: City of Malibu (www.ci.malibu.ca.us) click on “Email Subscription” on the home page; The Malibu Times (www.malibutimes.com/forms/maillist/); NBC News (www.knbc.com ), click on “Email Alerts” on the home page.
You will also be able to receive emergency messages from the City of Malibu’s Connect-CTY emergency alert system. Make sure your cell phone is registered in the Connect-CTY database by going to the City’s Web site and selecting the Connect-CTY link on the home page.
If you still have local phone service in your area after a disaster occurs, you may be able to access the Internet and get the information you need.
Here are some useful Web sites in addition to those listed above: California Office of Emergency Services (OES), www.oes.cs.gov; L.A. County Emergency Operations Center, www.lacoa.org; American Red Cross, Los Angeles Chapter, www.acrossla.org; FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) www.fema.org; National Fire Protection Association, www.nfpa.org; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.org; Emergency Survival Program, www.espfocus.org; Weather Channel forecast, www.weather.com; Emergency Digital Information Service (weather warnings), www.edis.ca.gov; CHP Traffic Incident information, http://cad.chp.ca.gov
Radio/Television
Make sure you have a portable, battery-operated AM radio or TV. There are radios available that use a crank handle or solar power to recharge the battery in camping supply stores. Malibu’s Emergency AM Radio station is located at 1620 AM on your radio dial. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be available on major radio stations, as well as on Malibu TV-3.
Battery-operated, two-way radios are available with capabilities ranging from handy-talkie types with a range of two to five miles to ham radios that cover a much wider area. Get to know who the radio operators are in your area, if any. The City of Malibu maintains a ham radio network system, with operators based throughout the Malibu area, to assist with passing messages to City Hall and aid agencies after a disaster. Call 310.456.2489, ext. 260 for more information on the City Neighborhood Network radio system.
More information can be obtained with the Malibu Survival Guide, which is available free at City Hall (23815 Stuart Ranch Rd., north of Civic Center Way).