Having good telecommunications infrastructure and efficient connectivity is vital nowadays, in all our everyday lives. And if that’s the case for us ordinary folk, then imagine just how vital those same capacities for communication are in extremely dangerous or unstable contexts, such as natural disasters, or just about any kind of emergency, whether it’s health related, environmental, social, etc. From tsunamis to global pandemics, fires, wars and migratory crises, nothing matters more in an emergency than being able to properly communicate.

Why are telecommunications so important in emergency situations?

In an extreme situation, like those mentioned above, and in other similar contexts, a plethora of different specialists, technicians and trained personnel are usually involved, including medics, fire fighters, military personnel, transport managers, infrastructure managers, etc., all responsible for different local agencies and organisations. For all of them, effective communication is key.

Evacuations and early warning systems

When it comes to natural disasters in particular, but also in other contexts, the population needs to be alerted to how the situation is unfolding. Think of a volcanic eruption, hurricane, wildfire or earthquake. In many cases, early warning systems are in place to help evacuate the areas at greatest risk and keep people safe. As you can imagine, it’s very important here that telecommunications channels are as efficient and effective as can be.

Coordination between various services

All the professionals mentioned above have an almost constant need to be able to communicate with each other so they can act in a coordinated manner. Normally, each agency or group has its own telecommunications protocols. However, in emergency situations, these protocols are typically merged into one so that actions can be taken with the real-time knowledge of all the organisations involved.

Agile decision-making

Acting decisively and proactively can mean the difference between life and death in extreme situations. And no decision is more accurate than one that is made on the basis of up-to-date and high-quality information. That’s why telecommunications are an essential tool for collecting data in real time and helping people act accordingly – without delay.

Telecommunications challenges during emergencies in remote areas

In urban population centres, any disaster or emergency situation poses a challenge for the services tasked with responding to it. So imagine how much more difficult things can become in environments that are tricky to access, relatively poorly connected or far from telecommunications nodes. In these places, an effective response is even more important.

That’s why having infrastructure – communication towers, 5G nodes, satellite receivers, etc. – that can cover potential shortfalls is an investment that governments and public officials must undoubtedly undertake. Especially because – in potentially dangerous situations – it’s precisely these areas that suffer the worst consequences.

How to protect telecommunications?

Given their importance in serious and dangerous situations, telecommunications must be treated as the strategic assets they are and, as such, must be protected. For this purpose, the following is usually recommended:

• Implement uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems and procure backup generators.
• Reinforce communication towers in extreme weather situations.
• Locate telecommunications towers in highly mountainous areas.
• Perform drills to identify system failures and make the necessary improvements.

Telecommunications are an essential tool in disaster and emergency management. Their ability to facilitate rapid and efficient communications, issue early warnings and coordinate response efforts is vital to saving lives and mitigating damage. In especially hard-to-reach areas, the challenges may be greatest, but the right technological solutions and protection measures can help ensure that communications remain operational, even at the most critical times. Protecting and maintaining telecommunications infrastructure should therefore be a strategic priority in any emergency management response plan.