Emergency Radio Network - What's needed to save lives
AM/FM radio stations could be the backbone of a coordinated evacuation response
Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. While all levels of government have focused on using cellphone warnings to augment social media and internet notifications for evacuation messaging, they’ve neglected one reality. Extreme weather events and other disasters have been known to knock out cell towers and even mobile networks. Don’t get me wrong - a digital system for texts, social media and push alerts is fantastic. But it needs more. Also, your eyes are needed elsewhere when you’re driving away from danger. That’s why it’s time for an Emergency Radio Network (ERN) to be set up under either the federal government or our provinces’ emergency programs.
I was reminded of this fact back in the summer of 2021 when a wildfire tore through Lytton, B.C., a community that’s too small for its own radio station but relies on repeated or distant signals from the CBC or other communities. The evacuees all had AM/FM radios in their trucks and cars and could easily listen to vital information and instructions…that is, if it existed. But there was no source for that information - and the CBC’s details came a couple hours after the town started to burn.
What’s needed? A widely known system or network of conventional broadcast AM/FM radio signals to engage emergency programming immediately, when needed. People should know it exists and feel confident they could tune-in for emergency information, evacuation details and other updated facts.
Emergency Radio Network
Every private radio station (and the CBC) could be a member of an ERN. One centralized broadcast from a ‘station’ set up at an existing EOC or headquarters could provide immediate, vital information without delay. The same agencies helping in a disaster would be able to provide those details to the ERN staff. Area stations or nearby repeaters would be activated remotely to override existing programming and provide the ERN signal.
Operations
The ERN could and should be staffed 24/7 by those trained and authorized to proactively gather and broadcast the most recent information. A possible template:
This is British Columbia’s Emergency Radio Network providing information on (name of disaster/location) updated at (day/date/time).
A (evacuation order details/measures) is currently in effect and you are advised to (specific instructions).
Here is the latest known information (what happened, damage and casualties, location).
The situation is now (stable or details on existing or possible dangers).
This information will be updated (cadence of updates or expected update). If you lose the ability to hear this information, please tune your radio dial to another frequency carrying British Columbia’s Emergency Radio Network.
That information could be recorded and repeated several times an hour during a time when lives are at risk. Any delay in information would be minimized as those providing it are in constant contact with first responders. Since the network relies on existing radio stations and remote activation, capital and operating costs would not be significant. The most expensive part of this would be a communications campaign to let people know of its existence.
Network and redundancies
Almost all populated areas are covered by some sort of AM/FM signal that’s easily accessible by those fleeing in an emergency. Most areas would have several such signals, allowing people to tune to find the information, even if one tower goes offline. Of course, mobile apps, push notifications and social media could also act as redundancies. As for the network itself, backups would exist so that the ERN main signal could be accessible and remotely triggered by several hardline and/or RF carriers.
This idea should not be left to broadcasters who may or may not have the resources or access to updated information to provide the best details. Instead, this is where governments need to step-up. Information saves lives and property and understanding that requires leadership.
The fact is, nothing like this exists right now and people remain vulnerable to wildfires, earthquakes, storms or industrial disasters such as gas leaks . There’s a need to provide reliable, fast information and policy makers should make this a top priority.