tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980820001351008605.post6683873705103012739..comments2023-10-13T03:20:22.715-07:00Comments on State of the City - Ashland Oregon: Emergency Radio TrainingCity of Ashlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15570740737217255316noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980820001351008605.post-81646834581000575942011-01-15T20:57:41.338-08:002011-01-15T20:57:41.338-08:00This "no cell phones" week idea was a gr...This "no cell phones" week idea was a great idea for disaster preparedness, and I'm very interested to know how it went-- any measurement/evaluations and adjustments or modifications that might be in the works. <br />My wife and I just returned from a 2-year Peace Corps assignment in Swaziland, and while there I acted as a regional "warden" for the Peace Corps' Emergency Management efforts... and in our evacuation simulation exercises we came upon the exact same problem that your Hosler Dam simulation experienced: it was all completely dependent upon cell phones. But of course, in a disaster situation the first system likely to be overwhelmed is a cell network. So we did a similar drill: we tried to communicate with each other by other means-- which, in our case, included notes passed by public transport drivers and landline phones-- and that really demonstrated our communication vulnerabilities in a meaningful way. I just wonder how many local agencies here in the US are doing what you guys did. Anyway, congratulations on taking this proactive (and very challenging!) step toward better disaster preparedness. I'd sure like some follow-up, M&E info, as I'm interested in raising this EM simulation scenario with some State legislature representatives as part of a larger dialogue about disaster prep. My email: cooktimothy2@gmail.com. <br />Thanks! Timothy CookTimothy Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368295790140788489noreply@blogger.com