If you were a recent victim of Hurricane Irma and one of the thousands affected by loss of power you may have had a difficult time contacting family members to make sure they were safe. During a major disaster communicating with your loved ones and friends is a top priority and power outages can take their toll, overwhelming cellular services making it next to impossible to communicate. According to the knowledgeable experts at Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami FL there are several things that you can do to prepare your lines of communication even before you experience a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado.
Preparing Alternate Methods of Communication Before Disaster Strikes
According to the advice given by the experts at the Federal communications Commission it is prudent to prepare to communicate before disaster strikes.
– Prepare your emergency contact list by keeping it updated on your cell phone along with a hard copy taped in an easy to reach area. Consider storing numbers of service providers including police, fire, power and insurance along with family, friends and co-workers. In addition to local numbers it is advisable to keep one or two out-of-state contacts to keep them updated on your position especially in the case of a natural disaster which can last for days or weeks.
– If you have a landline keep a traditional corded phone handy (a cordless phone will not work without electricity) which can be still be used to dial out during a power outage.
– Stay updated on inclement weather alerts by subscribing to text messages. Your local government agency can give you information regarding emergency alert services in your area.
– Get into the habit of keeping your cellphone fully charges and keep a spare car charger available in case of a power outage. You can also purchase solar powered chargers for cellphones and other hand held devises.
– The experienced professionals at Advanced Private Investigator & Security recommend designating one centralized out-of-town contact for each family member to communicate that they are safe. Make sure that you have discussed emergency communications procedures with your child’s daycare provider or school to ensure that you follow the correct protocol should the need ever arise.
Communicating During & After a Disaster
Being prepared will dramatically improve your chances of communicating with family and friends during and after a disaster.
– Remember, if you have a life-threatening emergency call 911. Never send a text message. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) emergency systems are unable to send or receive text messages.
– Use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter whenever possible to post your status and let family know that you are safe.
– If you have a home phone with a landline and your service includes call-forwarding, forward your home phone to your cell especially during a natural disaster such as flooding which requires you to vacate your home.
– Conserve the battery life of your cellphone by reducing screen brightness, turning off none critical applications, and placing your phone in airplane mode. Also consider updating the message on your voice mail to let family and friends know that you are ok.
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Applying these tips can help you stay in touch with loved ones along with helping you stay informed during an emergency situation. If you find yourself in a state of emergency you will be thankful that you took the necessary steps to be fully prepared. If the case that you are unable to locate a loved one after disaster strikes the knowledgeable experts at Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami FL are available to assist you. With years of experience locating missing persons we have equipment at our disposal that amplifies the search parameters to help locate missing individuals quickly. Contact us today for all your private investigator and security needs!
