Emergency Communication Guidelines

Emergency Communication Guidelines

Link: churchofjesuschrist.org

During a disaster, normal means of communication may become inoperable; however, the need to communicate with Church leaders, missionaries, members, employees, civil authorities, and others is greatly increased.

The Church’s objective in establishing emergency communication is to ensure that critical information can be received and conveyed. Church leaders, members, and civic authorities rely on these crucial messages and communication channels before, during, and after a disaster.

This includes:

1. The transfer of information and instructions from area, mission, and stake leaders to ward leaders, missionaries, and members.

2. Reports on the status of missionaries, Church members, and properties.

3. Plans for responding to needs among Church members and the community.

4. Coordination of relief efforts with civil authorities and other relief agencies.

Emergency Communication Specialists

• Stake presidents may call a stake emergency communication specialist. Specialists should not replace presiding ecclesiastical leaders or act outside of their direction. Under the direction of the Area Presidency, an Area Seventy may appoint a specialist to assist the needs of a coordinating council.

• An emergency communication specialist’s role is to enhance a leader’s ability to communicate prior to a disaster and during disaster response. The specialist should be familiar with various communication options (see “Communication Methods” section).

Communication Equipment

• Certain communication equipment has been positioned at strategic locations, including Church headquarters, welfare facilities, and area offices. These tools aid in the Church’s overall response to a disaster. Assigned personnel at these locations are responsible for the maintenance, testing, and operation of such equipment. Local member-owned communication equipment can also be an effective resource for local units.

• Portable radio and satellite telephone equipment can be deployed to area welfare and self-reliance personnel as needed.

• Local emergency communication specialists are encouraged to identify individuals with communications equipment and technical capabilities who can support local leaders with communication during a disaster.

Amateur Radio Networks (“Nets”)

• Church headquarters conducts centrally organized amateur radio networks known as “nets” to ensure equipment is functioning and to train personnel. Nets may also be organized at the local unit level under the direction of priesthood leaders.

• Amateur radio should be seen as one of several options with which local emergency communication specialists should be familiar (see the “Communication Methods” section).

Additional Resources

• General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2020), 22.2.2, 22.2.5, 22.3.2, 22.3.3, 22.6.11

Communication Methods

Telephone and internet services are often disrupted after a large or regional disaster. Leaders and members should be prepared to communicate using alternate methods that are available locally. However, experience has shown that 80 percent of the communications infrastructure is often working again within 72 hours, even after major events. (In some cases, it may take weeks before power and communications systems are restored.)

Method - Benefits - Considerations - Common Use Cases

Cell phone

• Used widely

• Relies on cell coverage; not tied to a particular address or location; recommended to have portable phone chargers on hand in case of power outages (this technology is tenuous and fragile in a major disaster)

• One-on-one communication

Landline phone

• Tied to a physical address

• Requires the recipient to be in a physical location to receive or make a call (may not be available if interconnecting wiring is damaged)

• Both one-on-one communication and conference calls

SMS/Text messaging

• Often available even if voice lines are overwhelmed

• Communicates a small amount of information; recommended to have portable phone chargers on hand in case of power outages

• Field communications

Internet communications (email, social media, Skype, web conferencing)

• Versatile and resilient

• Requires sender and recipient to have an internet connection and software (only as resilient as the internet infrastructure)

• Mass coordination of relief efforts

Satellite phone

• Works when cell phones are down

• Effective in areas where the satellite signal is good and the system is not overloaded

• Used for incoming and outgoing calls

Amateur (HAM) radio

• Very resilient, even in the worst circumstances

• Requires a license

• Reliable for communication going into and out of affected areas