Domestic Civil Defence -
No Phone !

The writer has experienced ten days' loss of service due to hedge-cutting contractors cutting through the cable during two consecutive years, had a fax machine wrecked by a lightning hit and had loss of service from high winds and from snow bringing lines down - all this at home.

A widespread electricity failure, flooding, high winds, heavy snow or the effects of a war, can suddenly or gradually cut you off from telephone services :-

• Telephones - Line : Normally will work unless there is a general power failure. After 7 to 12 hours, the exchanges may be programmed to reject calls made from domestic phones. This would be to save battery and generator power in the exchanges for essential emergency calls. Caution : some telephones (e.g. switchboard extensions, fax/phones) rely on domestic electricity supply and can be inactivated by a power failure.
• Telephones - Mobile : Reliability similar to line telephones but can be 'locked out' if the relay tower power supply and telephone link to central computers fail. Keep the phone charged to avoid power loss in a crisis and use intermittently.
• Internet and Fax services will be cut off by a telephone line failure unless you are prepared to use a mobile to provide the link.

The problems caused by this are considerable :-

• Fire, Police and Ambulance services may be unaware of your needs.
• Doctors will not know that you need assistance.
• Shops and fuel delivery firms cannot be contacted to deliver your supplies.
• Businesses and employers cannot contact you.

Communications Solutions :

1. Check with neighbours or use your mobile to check that your phone is not out of order.
2. Inform your telephone service provider of the loss of service, if possible.
3. If flooding, high winds, heavy snow or an electrical storm have taken place, these may cause phone service failures in communities for days or weeks. In that case :-
   • Have First Aid kit to hand and fire extinguisher in case you cannot summon Emergency Services assistance (Fire, Police, Ambulance).
   • If you can, drive or walk to the nearest public telephone and report the service loss in your area to the Police. Alternatively, leave a message with someone who can take that message in for you.
   • If television and radio work, tune in to the local station to see if any official advice is being given.
   • If you have Citizens' Band (CB) or Amateur Radio equipment, contact another operator and get them to contact the Police on your behalf. In country areas, your CB radio may be used with others in your Community to relay emergency calls and to receive official advice. Discuss such arrangements beforehand with your Community Policeman or the local council's Emergency Planning Department.
4. If it is also a case of Roads Blocked ! then you may be unable to drive or walk to a point from where you can call for assistance.
5. Consider making arrangements for a daily (or at least half-weekly) mobile SMS or telephone contact with a friend or relative outside your area, so they will know to alert the authorities in case you fail to call.

Effective Communication Operations :-

[Your Mobile in a Crisis] [Using a CB Radio Effectively] [Writing Official Situation Reports (SITREP)]