Hurrican Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

What We Learned About Communications Methods

When an electrical power outage occurs from a storm , we are instructed to have flashlights , battery operated radios , a generator , survival gear , food , etc . But what happens when the power outage is long-term What happens when the generator runs out of fuel and we can 't get more fuel ? What happens when the batteries run down

For those who did not endure Hurricane Katrina , the consequences of loss of power combined with catastrophic flooding cannot even be imagined . The event of Katrina was

not a mere inconvenience , it was a disaster of epic proportions

Much of the failure of first responders and ensuing rescue workers to operate efficiently was due to lost communications . Additionally , family members and friends could not find each other , nor could they find any information for quite a while . This particular storm was a nightmare for communications people as well as the victims

Simply the massive loss of power rendered the Gulf Coast without the basic tools to function . Today 's technology in communications is unparalleled and becoming even more sophisticated by the week yet without power , even the most high-tech systems are useless (Donny Jackson , 12-01-2005

To review what happened during the storm that shattered communications networks , it is important to look at the emergency communications systems available and explain what failed and why . In the 35th largest city in the U .S , how could so many people be suddenly disconnected What happened to the cell phones , instant messaging , satellite technology , broadband , wireless and other forms of everyday communication that are largely taken for granted ? Even in the horrendous disaster of 9 /11 , communication was still taking place . Even Hurricane Andrew didn 't knock all communications systems out . What was different about Hurricane Katrina As Donny Jackson points out in Mobile Radio Technology (12-01-2005 all communications systems are designed with the notion that power is available . Backup generators and batteries are equipped to keep equipment running for a few hours at the most , which is usually ample time for the electrical grid to be back online to some capacity

In an earlier article by Donny Jackson (11-01-05 , the floodwaters were to blame for most of the communications failures . The commander of police communications in New Orleans , Stephen J . Gordon , put it succinctly : The wind was almost inconsequential . It was the water that was the killer ' Herein was the problem : most wireless towers are designed to withstand hurricane force winds . The cell towers survived the winds , as in Florida 's hurricanes , but the power to drive the networks was knocked out by the unprecedented floodwaters in the city of New Orleans . There was also damage to a generator when flying debris punctured the radiator on the backup generator . When sudden damage of this type occurs , there is little that can be done to overcome the massive loss of communication

However , IT was still working , and emergency personnel were using the Internet to send out instant messages when all...