Communications
Create a trusted information flow for alerts, requests, status reports, and coordination when normal systems are unreliable.
Use a simple message format
Every operational message should answer: who is speaking, where, when, what is known, what is needed, and how certain it is.
- Label reports as observation, second-hand report, or unconfirmed.
- Repeat the time and location in every important update.
- Separate urgent action from background explanation.
- Acknowledge receipt and close the loop when a request is handled.
Build redundancy
Combine direct contact, printed notices, local radio, runners, scheduled meetings, and digital tools. Decide in advance which channel is primary, which is backup, and when to switch.
Turn updates into decisions
Schedule short routine checks of trusted utility, public-health, and emergency channels, while keeping urgent alerts enabled where available. A scheduled radio check should not delay action on an immediate warning.
- Record each useful update as: source and time, affected location, what changed, action needed, and next check.
- Use local observations to identify questions: a dark traffic signal or closed pharmacy establishes a local disruption, not its cause or a citywide restoration time.
- Share verified changes with neighbors who cannot receive the same channel. Correct outdated messages and avoid spending limited battery power on repeated rumor checking.
Information care
Do not amplify graphic material, expose vulnerable people, or forward unverified warnings. Accurate silence is safer than confident misinformation.