Radio Technologies: their importance in

Rural Crisis Response

Dawn Wright

LIBR 281

San Jose State University

Across the globe, digital communication continues to evolve

rapidly. However, in rural communities or in a loss of utilities,

radio technologies can be the mitigating factor in successful crisis

response.

Radio Communications: -Are an important interface between and informal channels.-Provide pre-crisis community preparation. -Provide crisis mitigation technology when utilities have failed. -Are instrumental in post-crisis community resolution.

Radio TechnologiesCommunity Radio

-A cultural, community-based resource in many rural areas. (Romo-Murphy,

James, Adams, 2011)

-Residents depend on community radio for local news, community activities, content consistent with local culture.

-News and information from outside the community may be available through public broadcasting.

-Because it has such a strong community presence, it may be seen as a two-way communication tool.

-Transmission ranges from 0-100 miles (Informatics in disaster and radio

technologies, 2013)

Marine VHF Radio

According to the United States Department of Homeland Security, a marine VHF radio is the most important and least expensive, two-way communication equipment that should be purchased (US Department of Homeland Security, 2013).

-Transmits up to 100 miles

-The FCC designates channel 9 for public use

-Channel 16 is reserved for US government emergency, distress and safety communication.

Range, price, availability and interface with government and non-government agencies, makes

Marine VHF Radio a key piece of personal crisis/disaster technology.

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazard

-NOAA Weather All Hazard Radio provides one way accurate weather and disaster information, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, in the United States including the Great Lakes, Hawaii and Alaska.

-Provide alerts from State and Federal Emergency Management for natural disasters, environmental crisis and issues of public safety.

-Frequencies are tailored to locality

-Multiple language support is available

-Services available for the hearing impaired-

Amateur Radio (HAM)

-International, two-way radio technology

-non-governmental, local long –range transmission, manned by licensed operators.

-An important link between formal and informal crisis communication systems, HAM radio operators should be utilized in crisis/disaster situations in the United States, as well as internationally (Federal Communications Commission, 2012).

-Providing services across the globe, HAM/Shortwave radio is a vital component of community based resources.

Citizens Band Radio

-May be used for commercial and personal use

-A range from 5 – 25 miles.

-A tool for staging, search and rescue and coordination activities

-Potential to interface with governmental and non-governmental, two-way technologies, such as VHF and HAM

Implications for utilization of radio technologies in rural communities

Community Radio In a crisis/natural disaster , there is the likelihood for disruption of services. Community Radio plays a key roll at all stages . Local residents depend on community radio for cultural support. Lintas Merapi Community Radio, was established in Central Java.

An inexpensive, effective warning , to warn the public of impending volcanic activity, was implemented through community donations.

- As a resource established by the community itself, the issue of trust in a crisis informatics system was maintained. - Using cultural knowledge, villagers established grass roots towers, with visual of Mt. Merapi. Short-range radio further enhanced system. -The radio station evolved, to become a transforming information source.

Radio Djati, Indonesia was instrumental in post –crisis re-organization, after the 2004 Tsunami in Banda Aceh.

-Local insight from disaster relief, led to more portable units, with FM range equipment . -Personal FM radios were distributed to the village. -Most importantly, volunteers played culturally familiar music, to instill a sense of normalcy and community. -Efforts at organization and implementation from outside entities was blocked, due to lack of trust in these systems.

Post-disaster community cohesion supports ongoing sustenance and evolution of the community resource.

This further supports resilience, reduces marginalization of vulnerable populations.

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NOAA Weather Radio All Hazard

Integral part of government Emergency Management Disaster planning across the United States. -Vulnerable Native American villages on the Washington coast depend on NOAA Radio for Tsunami and flood warnings. -West of the Cascade Mountains in rural Washington, citizens are encouraged to program NOAA units in preparation for the possible magnitude 7 to 9 earthquake and Tsunami. -A trusted source of community information, it reaches 85% of the population, across 50 states (National Weather Service, 2013).

Amateur Radio (HAM/Shortwave) Providing a range that spans the glove, HAM is a vital resource in a crisis/disaster.

-There is a high likelihood of services disruption (Hagar, 2012)

-Nationally, HAM is an integral part of formal disaster planning. Governments depend on amateur stations to relay information about current disaster status, victim location and service needs. -Bloggers in Banda Aceh, observed in 2004 a loss of utilities and the subsequent lifeline that HAM s provided the communities. -HAM operators with generators became the successful interface between government and non-government relief efforts.

-As a part of local culture, HAM operators provide pre-disaster planning.

- HAM is a Last Mile Warning System (Gurnstein, 2005).

Without utilities, HAM is supported by generator and solar power. This ground –up response is culturally sensitive and responsive, based on local knowledge, volunteers and services.

Citizen Band Radio & VHF Radio

Also a part of the Last Mile Warning System, these grassroots technologies are well suited to fill the gaps between citizens , as well as between citizens and local governments.

-Search and Rescue efforts, water relay and communication relay are the niche for CB and VHF Radio, in a healthy crisis informatics system.

ConclusionGlobal, as well as community, disaster plans include radio technologies for important reasons.

Radio is a trusted source for community monitoring or two-way communication.

Community radio educates the population prior to a disaster

Radio technologies provide short, long and global transmission range.

Interpersonal communication, so important in a crisis, can be provided by radio technologies, with or without standard utilities.

Accurate, trusted information , through trusted sources is integral to a healthy crisis informatics system. Radio is this source.

ReferencesFederal communication commission. (2012, August). Report to congress on amateur radio in emergencies and disaster relief. Retrieved from http://www.fcc.gov/document/report-congress-amateur-radio-emergencies-and-disaster-relief

Gurstein, M. (2005). Tsunami warning systems and the last mile: Towards community based and ict enabled disaster response systems. The journal of community informatics, 1(2), 14-17

Hagar, C. (2010). Crisis informatics. ASIS&T, June/July, Retrieved from http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Jun-10/JunJul10_Hagar.html

National weather Service. (2013) NOAA weather radio all hazards. Retrieved from http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/

Romo-Murphy E, James R, Adams M. Facilitating disaster preparedness through local radio broadcasting. Disasters. ;35(4):801-815.

References (continued)

US department of homeland security. (2013). Navigation center. Retrieved from http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtBoater