Flight 1549 Crash - A Testament to the Effectiveness of Emergency E-mails

The US Airways Flight 1549 crash water landing in the Hudson River last week was a scary event, but the rescue efforts were very well coordinated. Bystanders, commercial ferry boats, and trained rescuers responded quickly and effectively to pull the passengers out of the water and ff of the wings of the sinking plane, keep them warm and dry, and bring them back to dry land.

It is a clear example of the power of technology, as several volunteers and health experts were mobilized by a single emergency e-mail. Sussex County Chapter American Red Cross volunteers were notified by an emergency e-mail to be on stand-by to open an emergency shelter for crash victims and their families. Within 15 minutes, 12 disaster services volunteers responded, ready to be deployed to help if necessary.

Reaching these volunteers, who were trained and willing to work, was an essential part of the rescue efforts. Finding a place for shelter, organizing an accountability post, and rounding up enough food, blankets and counselors is no easy task. But with the instant notification and quick response, the Red Cross was ready to help, just as everyone expected they would be. For an organization that relies on it's reputation for instant response and dependability, emergency messaging capabilites are absolutely essential.

Overloaded Cell Systems Can Still Send Texts

Although cell phone technology has come a long way since its beginning, it's still not perfect. And when thousands of people in the same area try to make cell phone calls at the same time, the system quickly becomes overloaded and crashes.

Which is definitely NOT good in emergencies.

Anytime something "big" happens, like the crash of the U.S. Airways Jet yesterday in New York, the impulse for witnesses is to call somebody. 911, media, family members, friends - anyone they can get ahold of to request help or share the breaking news. But this totally hampers rescue efforts. The people who really need to communicate to coordinate a rescue effort can't.

So what's the solution? Send a text. When cell phone towers become overloaded because of a high volume of calls, a text message is the most effective means of communication. This has been proven consistently, in many different types of situations.

In fact, those in Washington D.C. who are preparing for the influx of people this weekend and on January 20th for President-Elect Obama's inaguration, are encouraging residents, workers, and visitors to text instead of call. While cell providers will have several temporary phone towers throughout the city to help with the predicted call volume, there is no way to know for sure how the system will ultimately handle all of these calls.

This is proof of how incredibly valuable it is for cities, schools, counties, police, fire and rescue crews to have instant access to broadcast text messaging. When landlines are down and cell phone towers are overloaded by call volume, the nearly instantaneouly transmission of a text message will get out to the people who need to know the information. All the more reason to give CME a call to find out more about about our broadcast texting services!

National Amber Alert Awareness Day

One of the most important and motivating reasons for rural schools and communities to have a broadcast communications system in place is the ability to send out Amber Alerts. Getting accurate and timely information about a child abduction out to the public is critical to rescuing kids who could be in danger.

Yesterday, January 13 was National Amber Alert Awareness Day, a time to remember those families who are missing children, and to say thanks to all of the local law enforcement, state officials, and volunteers who support the Amber Alert system. We at Communications Made Easy would like to do just that. Thanks to all of you who are there to keep our children safe!

Communications Made Easy makes it simple to send out an Amber Alert, or any other emergency message regarding the safety of children and adults. And in unfortunate circumstances, it can also be extremely helpful to coordinate the search of a missing person, transmitting newly learned information or directing and instructing volunteers. It pays to sign-up for CME's services now so you can be prepared in case of such emergency.

If you're interested in learning more about Amber Alerts or promoting the program throughout your community, go to http://www.amberalert.gov/about.htm. Here you can gain access to posters, news releases, success stories, and find your state's Amber Alert contact.

Cell Technology in Rural Areas Holds Its Own

Rural communities and school districts may be located in remote areas, but that doesn't mean they lack the technology to support cell phone use:

• 99% of Americans are now living in counties in which next-generation wireless services are available.
  
• 94% of Americans are now living in counties with four or more wireless service providers.
• More than 12.5 billion text messages were sent in June 2006, up 70% from June 2005.
  Federal government statistics on wireless use indicated more than 51% of rural American households had wireless phones, compared to 54% of all America households.

(provided by the International Association for the Wireless Communication Industry)

Having access to quality cell phone technology and customer services is so important in rural areas because the distance between neighbors or from emergency responders can have a major detrimental impact during emergencies. Response times could be longer and resources may be limited, at least for a time. That's why it is so important to have an emergency broadcast system in place, one that caters to all cell phone and text message users. Without it, rural fire departments and county sheriff officers might spend valuable time driving from house to house to inform residents of a problem. However, when officials have the ability to get accurate information distributed quickly to many people, they can avoid public speculation that often leads to panic and confusion. Rural areas definitely have the technology - now they just have to embrace it!

Cell Phones Permeate U.S. Society

Communications Made Easy knows how much people depend on cell phones these days. According to the CTIA, the International Association of Telecommunications Industry, there were 262.7 million cell phone subscribers in June 2008, representing 84% of the U. S. population. Amazingly, wireless service was once projected to be a niche market appealing to a maximum of 900,000 by the year 2000. In 2008, approximately 15.8% of U.S. households are wireless-only - that is, they don't have a landline telephone.

Another important statistic - there are 296,000 e-911 emergency calls placed from cell phones each day. It's incredibly convenient and especially helpful to have immediate access to a cell phone in an emergency. It allows for quick instructions to bystanders from trained 911 operators and faster response from emergency personnel.

There's no doubt that wireless communication is going to play an increasingly important role in our society. It's the reason why so many companies are developing their mobile services and remote access. Customers are used to instant access and immediate communication, and they will appreciate, and eventually demand, that emergency messages reach them wherever they are. Just another reason why all local governments, school districts, and colleges and universities should take the steps to include cell phones and text messaging in their emergency communication plans.