Broaden messaging options

Australia uses a National Emergency Warning System, which sends SMS emergency warning messages to mobile phones and dials directly to landlines.44 Since this system became operational in December 2009, it has been used more than 1,250 times nationally and issued close to 11 million messages. However, the messages may not reach people who only have wi-fi coverage or are in an area of inadequate mobile coverage and where the network is down.

One option is to use broadcast media, such as commercial television and public radio networks such as CB Radio, UHF and VHF radio stations, all of which are widely used in regional areas.

A robust solution could involve planning for and investment in an Emergency Cell Broadcast System, to allow emergency warning messages to be sent to all users regardless of the network they are using.

Emergency Cell Broadcast is an internationally recognised standard and already used in the United States, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. The technology enables authorities to send a message to all mobile phone devices in the vicinity of a mobile tower, regardless of which carrier the device is connected to. Messages would be delivered in seconds and operate despite network congestion.

Figure 7.3: When power and communications lines are down, back-up equipment such as portable generators keep emergency services crews and community members connected

Source: Darrian Traynor/The Age