That’s one of the key, upfront messages in the Federal Communications Commission report on the June 2012 storm that knocked out communications and emergency 9-1-1 services in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the country.
Conventional radio and TV broadcasters operated without a hiccup in the wake of that storm, the FCC said, filling a valuable role as “first informers” when nothing else worked.
Public safety call centers worked with broadcasters “to provide updates on 9-1-1 service and alternate ways of obtaining emergency assistance….some reports advised residents to call 9-1-1 only for true emergencies, and provided 10-digit administrative numbers for other questions about cooling shelters and restoration of power,” the FCC said.
The FCC noted -- and I imagine this is for the iThing generation -- that plain old radios work real well on plain old, inexpensive batteries that don’t require charging.
What a concept. I think plain old radio has a real future.
Bob Brewin
Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.
Addressing the 3 Biggest BYOD Security Threats
Research Report: Powering Continuous Monitoring Through Big Data
Mobile Apps: New Ways to Connect Government with Citizens
Continuous Monitoring As a Service: A Shift in the Way Government Does Business
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
By using this service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Nextgov does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.