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Lad Panis

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Trisha Egge

Trisha Egge

The Evolving Walkie-Talkie Digital two-way radios offer greater clarity and distance coverage, and should be an essential part of your property’s emergency communications.

KEN KEMPALAD PANIS

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In Hawaii, we enjoy the beautiful surroundings found on land and sea. Living in the Islands, we also know that we can sometimes face extreme weather, including hurricanes and tsunamis, and other challenges that may disrupt our lives. These conditions can affect the daily management and operation of your property.

Communication is an integral component to have available during emergency situations. Two-way radios should be a part of your property’s emergency preparedness plan.

Two-way radios are handheld, portable and wireless, and interact via radio waves on a single, shared frequency band. Walkie-talkies, as they are also known, are capable of transmitting over short and medium distances. Unlike cellular phones, their operation is not reliant on a tower. This makes two-way radios a more reliable communication source in an emergency event when an electrical blackout may occur, or in the aftermath of a severe storm when traditional communication infrastructure may be down on your property or in the surrounding area.

Two-way radios offer a very simple “push-to-talk” way to communicate with your staff during emergency situations. They provide reliable radio-to-radio communication with rechargeable lithium ion or alkaline battery packs.

Two-way radios are a long-term communication solution with technology that is simple and reliable yet continues to evolve as the needs of the market

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place change. Radio technology has continually improved from the analog radios ofthe past to radios using newer digital technology. Eventually, FCC regulations will require the discontinued use of analog radios and everyone will have to move over to digital radio technology.

Digital radios now offer up to 30% better coverage than their analog counterparts. Digital two-way radios offer static-free communication, wireless Bluetooth technology, batteries that hold their charge longer, caller ID of each radio, panic-distress button and text messaging with an LCD screen radio.

A standard analog radio’s signal will decrease as the distance between radios gets further away. At their maximum range, you may only hear white noise or static. On the other hand, a digital radio’s transmission is going to remain consistent in sound quality regardless of the distance between radio units. Even at their maximum distance range,

you will find the transmission from a digital radio to be clear, crisp and clean. If a digital radio is not in range, the user will immediately know, as the unit will not transmit at all.

Another key benefit of using a digital two-way radio in your daily operations and to include them in your emergency plan is that a commercial-grade twoway radio will be able to work in heavy concrete areas, such as the basement or below ground parking garage and in any other similar types of areas. Digital two-way radios give you reliable coverage throughout your property—in and out of buildings and everything in between. Areas where cellular phones struggle with reception, digital two-way radios maintain a solid signal.

Starcomm Wireless, for example, has assisted many hotels and condominiums on all islands with their communication needs. These properties are now able to easily communicate throughout all parts their facilities and buildings with no problem for both their daily operations and during emergencies.

Here are some best practices for the use of digital two-way radios during emergency situations: • Organizations should have emergency kits containing fully-charged sets of walkie-talkies stored in convenient locations. These emergency kits should be regularly checked. Staff should have training concerning how to access and use the radio devices. • Having a communication plan in place for disasters is also important. Your organization should have a detailed plan for communicating around the property in the event of a disaster. Two-way radios can be a huge asset in emergency situations, as they can transmit important information to all members of your staff at the same time, no matter where they are on your property. • Your organization’s walkie-talkies should be inspected at regular intervals throughout the year. Personnel should test them to see if they are in good working order. Drills should be regularly scheduled and done at least quarterly. Batteries should also be changed on a regular basis to ensure the device has power and to keep old batteries from corroding the radio.

Getting your property ready for an emergency situation before the next emergency occurs will be a critical step in surviving a difficult time. Remember, communication is key in an emergency situation, so a reliable communication device, like a digital two-way radio, is required. ❖

Lad Panis has been selling commercial radio equipment to all major Hawaii industries and buildings since 1994. He is president and owner of Starcomm Wireless. Reach him at 845-7827 or www.starcommwireless.com.

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