Is Your Communications System Ready for the Unexpected?
The time to prepare for a major weather event or natural disaster is now. The key to keeping people safe and critical infrastructure intact is preparation, and one of the most important components of disaster planning is communications readiness. Whether dispatching first responders, coordinating search and rescue operations or restoring power, reliable and interoperable communications between teams on the frontlines is essential.
Motorola Solutions has been working with local, state and federal governments for more than 90 years to provide the communication technologies people rely on before, during and after hurricanes. Below are tips we offer our customers, so they’re prepared in the moments that matter.
10 Tips to Help you Prepare
- Update contact lists for key personnel, including employees and business partners. Include phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses where possible.
- Stock emergency operations centers with supplies for additional staff and those who will be working extra hours.
- Test generators; make sure emergency fleet vehicles are fully serviced.
- Touch-base with your critical communications providers on plans to deploy mobile support to areas that may be impacted.
- Coordinate with crews and technicians in advance for deployment when and where their services are needed.
- Consider whether additional two-way radios, chargers or radio accessories will be needed for responders or volunteers and order in advance.
- Check that all mission-critical software is up-to-date; consider secure cloud-based software solutions to enable work from new locations if an area is directly impacted by a disaster.
- Public safety agencies should make sure public safety answering points (PSAPs) are prepared for a potential increase in 9-1-1 calls.
- Learn about government grants designed to assist US states, federally-recognized tribes, and local communities in implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program.
- Download our disaster preparedness checklist to assess your readiness and plan ahead.
Motorola Solutions is proud to offer the mission-critical communications technologies on which first responders, essential personnel and businesses rely. As you develop your plan to keep communities and infrastructure safe, please contact us for assistance.
