The Unfailing Backbone: Traditional Channels in Emergency Management

George Bastedo, Director of Emergency Management, Wayne County New York Economic Development

Although many people point to my white hair and long experience as the reason I believe in amateur radio and paper records as vital backup systems, I can assure you that I am a tech enthusiast, but also one who understands the importance of multiple backup systems. With today’s satellite-connected smartphones and real-time digital dashboards, it is easy to abandon analog tools because they are considered to be outdated relics. However, in emergency management, the most advanced technology is often the most vulnerable. When a disaster strikes, power grids fail, cell towers collapse, and fiber-optic cables are cut. During periods of “communications blackout,” effective response and recovery often depend on two low-tech essentials: amateur radio and paper records.

The significance of maintaining these traditional channels is not rooted in nostalgia but in the essential principle of redundancy. By keeping amateur radio and paper forms in modern emergency plans, agencies ensure they have a ‘Plan B’ that works when everything else fails.

Amateur Radio: The “All Else Fails” Lifeline

Amateur radio, or “ham radio,” remains the top failsafe for emergency communications because it is completely independent of commercial infrastructure. Unlike cellular networks, which depend on a centralized system of towers and power lines, a ham radio station can be set up in minutes with just a wire antenna, a battery, and a transceiver.

• Infrastructure Independence: During disasters like 2017’s Hurricane Maria, amateur radio operators served as the only connection to the outside world when 98% of Puerto Rico’s communication infrastructure was destroyed.

• Diverse Technical Capabilities: Advances in amateur radio technology now enable it to transmit not only voice, but also digital data, images, and even email through systems like Winlink. This enables the transmission of complex resource requests without an internet connection.

• A Ready-Made Volunteer Force: Organizations like the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) offer a pretrained, licensed workforce of more than 80,000 volunteers across the U.S. These operators usually act as a bridge between various agencies (police, fire, hospitals) whose radios might not be compatible.

"By keeping amateur radio and paper forms in modern emergency plans, agencies ensure they have a ‘Plan B’ that works when everything else fails."

Recent events, such as Hurricane Helene in 2024, highlighted this value. When floods isolated western North Carolina, ham operators used mountain-top repeaters to coordinate road closures and relay “health and welfare” messages to the families of the missing when phones were useless.

The Power of Paper: Immutable Data in Chaos

While radio manages the flow of information, paper forms maintain their integrity. During the chaotic first hours of a disaster, digital systems can become a liability. Software may crash, passwords can be forgotten, and devices eventually lose power.

• Zero-Power Reliability: Paper needs no battery, signal, or specialized technical training to use. It is the only medium that stays 100% accessible during a total power outage.

• Accountability and Audit Trails: Proper documentation is essential for demonstrating “due diligence” during and after an incident. During the recovery phase, paper records, such as physical logs of resource deployment or patient-tracking forms, serve as the primary evidence for insurance claims and federal reimbursement.

• Simplified Data Entry: Under high stress, the tactile nature of a paper form can be quicker and less prone to mistakes than navigating a complex digital interface. This “low-to-nonotice” readiness is why many hospitals still keep paper-based surge protocols for pandemic or disaster scenarios.

The Strategy of Redundancy

Maintaining these traditional channels isn’t an argument against digital progress but a strategy for resilient system design. Emergency managers should still rely on amateur radio and paper forms for four main types of redundancy:

1. Backup: Amateur radio serves as a vital backup if the primary communications networks go down.

2. Cross-Functionality: Paper forms enable diverse teams (EMS vs. search and rescue) to share data without requiring compatible software.

3. Duplication: Continuity of Operations capabilities are improved by having both digital and physical copies of disaster plans accessible from off-site locations.

4. Cross-Checking: Paper forms can verify digital data that may have been lost or entered incorrectly during a crisis.

Conclusion

The future of emergency management is no doubt digital, with AI and IoT sensors promising quicker response times. However, an experienced emergency manager recognizes that technology has a “breaking point.” By continuing to train amateur radio operators and maintaining a strong supply of paper forms, emergency response organizations ensure that the most important parts of any response—the ability to communicate and record information—never fully go offline. When towers collapse and screens go dark, it is the hum of radios and the scratch of pens that will guide us to recovery.

IoT

AI