Posts tagged low-tech

5-Minute Message: Communication: HOW to Get Your Message Out

Another great step on your path to becoming masterful at communicating before, during and after disasters is to flex your communication channels. Create a list of your existing options, so you know HOW to get your message out.  Some ideas — telephone, fax, e-mail, cell phone, voice mail, text message, Skype, website, blog, social media, and other online platforms. Remember to flex low-tech options including posting signage, using runners, and distributing handouts. Tip: equip your team with a sustainable no-tech option such as whistles on their keychains.
Create a list of ALL of your available options, with their log-in codes, instructions, or other needed information. Make sure your team knows how to prioritize, and can quickly choose the most appropriate method. Knowing that you can reach your key audiences should decrease anxiety and increase confidence for your team.

Another great step on your path to becoming masterful at communicating before, during and after disasters is to flex your communication channels. Create a list of your existing options, so you know HOW to get your message out.  Some ideas — telephone, fax, e-mail, cell phone, voice mail, text message, Skype, website, blog, social media, and other online platforms. Remember to flex low-tech options including posting signage, using runners, and distributing handouts. Tip: equip your team with a sustainable no-tech option such as whistles on their keychains.
Create a list of ALL of your available options, with their log-in codes, instructions, or other needed information. Make sure your team knows how to prioritize, and can quickly choose the most appropriate method. Knowing that you can reach your key audiences should decrease anxiety and increase confidence for your team.

5-Minute Message: Paper Backup

Technology becomes fancier, cooler and more widespread every year.  But remember that even the best technology can fail!

Make handy paper backups of your most critical information.  Do not depend on your memory for any critical information, no matter how familiar it feels now. Record vital information on paper — even something as basic as a list of often-used phone numbers — so if your cell phone is lost, broken, or unusable, you can still make phone calls.

Digital address books often have an export or printout option.  Most cell phone companies offer a data backup service.  Look for these opportunities to print out this information – or simply write it down.  Digital versions can be edited and re-printed regularly.  Store a paper back up in multiple places such as your work, your car, or off-site storage.

Town Criers

The second Monday of July is International Town Criers Day, a chance to celebrate the noble tradition of disseminating important information through yelling. While town criers are no longer commonplace, word-of-mouth remains one of the most potent tools – particularly in emergencies. Information spreads by word-of-mouth regardless of your “plans” and if no information is available, many people will share assumptions and rumors. Bump up your capacity to get information in and out of your agency quickly. Use as many different methods as possible; multiple languages when appropriate; diverse media outlets; high and low-tech options; as well as runners and town criers. We can’t control what some people will actually say, but we can eliminate the familiar breakdown of people not getting the message in the first place.

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