4 ‘In Case of Emergency’ Steps for Your Two Way Radios
In the workplace, the majority of teams have procedures in place for the ‘in case of emergency’ situation – committees are formed, muster stations are chosen for gathering, and team members often volunteer to help out if a situation should arise. A key part also in that process is having two way radios that are ready for communication when you need it most.
In these moments, the day-to-day users of two way radios are trained in radio use in an emergency. But not everyone is. For some, this isn’t the main part of their job, and there’s no time in a workplace emergency situation to learn.
From volunteers in these moments, to day-to-day employees, it’s important to know the steps to take to ensure effective communication with your two way radio when it matters most.
Here’s a list of four things to remember:
- Have Equipment Ready – This starts with testing your equipment and ensuring that your batteries are charged and equipment is ready to go. Haven’t charged your radios in a while? Address that now.
- Be Prepared – Your team should have frequent opportunity to learn about the technology – and not wait for an emergency to learn about it. A number of devices have various features that may be different from others you’ve used before, and it’s important to know how to use it when it’s necessary.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat – Repeating back the message you receive to confirm information is so important, especially if you’re not sure you’ve heard it correctly – and especially in an emergency.
- Not Talking? Release the Button – A lot of new two way radio users can forget this. They hit the button to speak and then can lose their train of thought. Holding down that button, however, takes up other’s speaking time. So let it go until you’re ready to speak.
Keep in mind that radios are designed with a one-to-many communication capability – where speaking to everyone is done so instantly at the touch of a button. They are also made for working both in, and around, buildings, with little to no concern for dropped calls, like with cell phones in certain businesses.
This training and preparation doesn’t happen overnight, but two way radios and walkie talkies have proven themselves in emergency situations. Often times, cell phone connections can go down in emergency situations, due to a number of people attempting to call out at the same time. This is not a concern with two way radio, allowing users to relay quick messages and ensure emergency personnel know the status of those involved.
If you want to consider two way radios for communication among your team, feel free to contact one of our two way radio experts at Nova Communications. We’d be happy to help you determine the best technology for your team for both the ‘in case of emergency’ situation, along with day-to-day operations. With more than 30 years of experience in the two way radio field, we have worked with companies across Canada to find them the best technology for their needs. Contact us today to learn more, or start with the Portable Radio Selection Guide below.
//
