Communications during an emergency

dacjohns

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We might have discussed this already in other threads but I thought I would give this subject its own thread.

This is something we realized (again) during the last ice storm. Many of us have cordless telephones and answering machines. When the power goes out so does your telephone if you are using a telephone system that requires electricity from your house.

In many areas the telephone system will keep working even when the power is out. You need to have an "old fashioned" telephone, one that just plugs into the telephone jack and doesn't need electricity from your house. Telephone lines have an electrical current for the telephone. Touch tone will still work unless you live in an area that hasn't caught up yet.

If your power goes out you will also be without internet unless you have a power supply for your computer. Wireless modems will also be useless.

If you are a radio operator like Kilo you know that back up power is necessary.

If all your communications go out then it will have to be face to face. That happened in Kentucky when people had to check on friends and neighbors.
 

Beekissed

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This is why my mother and I both keep a regular phone available in the house. Around here folks still use CBs and Hams quite a bit.

Its nice to have a way to communicate in a crisis.

ETA: Edited to remove terrorist threats of hijacking! :rolleyes:
 

enjoy the ride

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Good gosh Dacjohns, two posts and you're already hijacked.

I love the silence too- until the power goes out, you really don't recognize the noise the fridge or ceiling fan or clock, etc make.

Now back to your regularly scheduled post_ I keep an old fashion phone too although it does take a bit to remember how to coordinate putting the finger in the little hole and turning that dial, :D

One good idea is to know who in your area has a ham radio- they can usually find someone where the people you want to contact. Good people to know in an emergency.
 

SKR8PN

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We have one "old fashioned" phone in the living room, and another in the basement. The one in the basement is an old pay phone that I picked up off of E-bay, no money required. :cool:
 

Quail_Antwerp

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My phone is attached to a cord. We also have a pair of walkie talkies (does anyone call them that anymore?!) No cordless phone here LOL No cell phone either.

Which reminds me of another subject, so I'll go start a new thread.....
 

dacjohns

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I knew I forgot something.

Cell towers can go down and then no cell phone.

Cell networks can get overloaded. Anyone remember trying to make telephone calls on Christmas or Mothers Day and not being able to get through.
 

Beekissed

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Party lines were where several people in a neighborhood were on the same phone line. You had to wait until people stopped yakking to get to make a call~or ask them to get off the phone if it were a really important call. AND...everyone could listen in on any call you made! :rolleyes:
 

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