[EAS] ] Improving Emergency Public Information: Back to Basics

[Clay Freinwald]

Responding to Richard Rudmans comment - 

I made good use of my smart-phone, which I was able to charge from my car
battery, but again, the assumption that everyone has ways to keep connected
during a power outage isn't always true, and radio stations need to factor
that in before saying "just go to our website."

I vividly recall a representative from Puget Sound Energy (they supply
electric and gas to a large area of Western Washington State) during an
interview on local media making a similar statement  during a massive power
outage (in excess of 500,000 customers  out of service) ...'For additional
information go to our web-site'.     Now granted this was a PIO who was
trotted out to speak the company-line.    I did have the opportunity later
to ask the question where I might be able to find a gas or wood powered
computer.   I followed it up by asking if they were aware that many DSL and
Cable systems (and gas stations) also go down during wide-spread power
failures.    The reaction was very much as one might expect.

Any service that is there 99.95% of the time is -assumed - to be available
all the time.    This is like going into a room, when you know the power is
off, and - instinctively - turning on the light switch.

Unfortunately many fall into this trap and, in the process, make statements
that often only add to the frustration of the moment.    The answer to this
and a multitude of similar situations is TRAINING.    Also unfortunately
this item is often in very short supply.

Clay Freinwald