Web 2.0 audio conferencing: an essential tool for disaster management

The state of Louisiana relied almost exclusively on audio conferencing for its disaster response communications in the months following Hurricane Katrina. This circumstance during the largest natural disaster in the history of the United States left many important lessons. If we learn these lessons, we may be able to lessen suffering and loss of life in future disasters.

Conference calling has always been and always can be the preferred disaster voice communications tool. The telephone is the most ubiquitous piece of communications technology on the planet. No other type of voice communications system can handle a large number of people at the same time. In an emergency situation, these may be people who don’t know each other, but who must come together for a common purpose: saving lives and solving problems. Also, conference calls systems are designed to handle communications on different scales: from a few people to hundreds and thousands of people at a time. What should a first responder, political leader or concerned citizen look for when selecting a conference call provider capable of being there for them in a crisis? Here is a short checklist:

1. Tested in a crisis? Has the provider demonstrated that their services can handle the stressful rigors of a crisis?
2. Hub technology? Your provider needs a federated system, not a centralized one. This way, if one node on the network goes down, another node can pick up the traffic so customers have the systems available to them in their crisis. This was the problem in Louisiana. When Bell South’s network was flooded, so were its limited audio conferencing capabilities.
3. Call now Technology? Does the provider allow leaders with call now technology that gives them the ability to select names from their call list and “speed dial” all of them simultaneously from a mobile device? In a crisis, you often don’t have the time to schedule a conference call when people are dying and seconds are precious.
4. Emergency alerts with Audio Conference Trail? Does your provider allow you to broadcast an alert with a live recorded message from you that gives recipients the option of joining a follow-up conference call (trailer) so you can answer questions and provide more information?
5. Record and post online? Does your provider allow you to record a conference call on the go and then automatically post those recordings online, or let people dial in to listen to them later? The response to disasters is unpredictable. First responders can be called at any time to rescue a family from a collapsed roof or the rubble of their building. When this happens, first responders cannot call the nightly conference call for status updates. Recorded calls allow them to dial in and listen to the reports at their leisure, or listen to the recordings online. This turned out to be a crucial capability during Hurricane Katrina. These recordings also recall initiatives taken during the crisis for post-crisis review.
6. Expert support? Does your provider answer your questions competently and quickly on the first call, or do you move on to new people who read a canned script every time you call? Do your responses come from operators in faraway countries? This type of assistance may be acceptable for certain types of relief, but not for disaster management when people’s lives are at stake. Ask if your provider has experience supporting disaster management. If not, find a new provider.

Lessons from disasters dictate a new type of Web 2.0 conference calling capability that empowers mobile command centers with call now mobile phone features. Telephones have been the communication tool of choice in all major disasters in recent years. That is unlikely to change. To handle disasters and emergencies, these phone systems must be merged with data systems. That’s what Web 2.0 audio conferencing is all about.

For more information, google “Web 2.0 Audio Conferencing.”

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