East Coast Earthquake Reminder for Everett – Text Don’t Call

As soon as the earthquake hit on the east coast this afternoon, people grabbed their cell phone to check in with relatives and get information. According to CNET.com and its Signal Strength Blog, that led to networks rapidly becoming overwhelmed. Luckily the overload didn’t last long but showed once again that text messaging is the most reliable way to communicate in an emergency. Here’s an except from the CNET article…

Text messaging is a better way to communicate during or following a crisis or event when network congestion is high for two reasons. First, SMS text messaging uses far less of the network resources than a voice call or wireless broadband data session. And second, even when the network is congested, the SMS system will continue to keep trying to send the text message, even if it gets a “busy signal” on its first try. Also the bits of data in the message don’t need to travel together on the network, like with a voice call. This makes it a more efficient and easier way to communicate when the network is severely congested. But even SMS messages can be delayed, so wireless operators also urge people to be patient.

Speaking of communication during an emergency, the City of Everett urges people to have a family communications plan. The city also has plans for Family preparedness and what you need to put into a 3-day emergency kit. You can click here for links to printable copies for your family.

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