After a major disaster most of our normal methods of communication will be interrupted. Telephones will be out, the mail won't be delivered (you may not have a home to deliver it to), or you may be isolated at work and unable to travel to your family.

Immediately after an earthquake, your phones will probably will not work. This could be because of damage to switching centers, local phone lines, and trunk lines. It could be that power to operate the phone system itself is unavailable.

The number one cause of phone failures is too many phones off the hook at one time. Many will be off the hook because they were knocked over in the shock, but a larger number will be because everyone is trying to call friends and family. This overload can damage the phone companies' switching systems. To prevent this damage, whole sections will shut down automatically when a certain percentage of phones are off the hook.

It's normal to want to check on your family, or let family know you're OK. But, we need to limit our calls if we want the system to work at all. The solution to this problem is to have one out-of-state contact for all your family members. This way all your relatives and friends will not be tying up the phone lines trying to get you, and you them. Long distance lines do not go down from too many calls or phones falling off the hook. Another advantage is that if an earthquake shuts down the long distance lines, these lines will be one of the first lines returned to service. You will be able to reach someone out of state before you could reach someone next door.

We recommend that you go to a pay phone to make your calls. These lines will be put in service before residential lines. Plus the load on phone lines is less late at night or early in the morning. A pay phone, calling long distance, early in the morning is your best chance for communicating.

When you reach your out-of-state contact KEEP IT SHORT and quick. The phone system may go out again at any time. Give your condition and the condition of the family members you know about. Get information on members who are not with you. Tell them you'll call them to chat in a few days. Then say good-by and hang up.

The next page contains some "Out-Of-State Contact Cards" for you to fill out. Give them to all your family and friends. Xerox extras if needed. This system has proven that it works in previous California earthquakes.

Cellular telephones are really radios on a network. They can't talk to each other, but must use a cell site to connect calls. It is recommended that if you plan to use cell phones to communicate after a disaster that they be on the same network or service provider system as the people you want to talk to.

Ham radio is a mainstay of disaster communications. The FCC has recently lowered the requirements to become a licensed HAM. To become a HAM contact your local radio clubs listed in the yellow pages.

The Los Angeles City Fire Department uses HAM's for communication and coordination of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers.

The LAFD ACS NET:

(Meets On-air Mondays 1930-2000)

2-Meter,147.300 , PL110.9, +600 146.58 Simplex

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Los Angeles Fire Department
200 North Main Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
(213) 485-5971