Tech and a Storm Event Part 2: Communications--What Worked and What Didn't

Surviving a Storm Event, Part 2:
Communications: Winners and Losers

 

This is Part 2 in a series about surviving a Storm Event and its aftermath.  Part 1 discussed Lighting Solutions for your Emergency Kit, and it can be found here.  Having recently lived through Hurricane Irma, Techlaurels is sharing lessons learned from the storm.

As most people know, Irma severely impacted Florida, including the Island where Techlaurels is physically located. While some areas were hit worse than others, most Floridians experienced gas shortages, extended power outages, and a loss of utilities. While power and utilities have been restored, Florida is still cleaning up Storm Debris.  Forecasters warn that we can expect October to be an active Hurricane month. Most of us are NOT waiting for another evacuation to be called. We are restocking our Emergency Kits now. We are also looking at the services that failed us, and reassessing what worked and what did not.

Many of us felt extremely communication-challenged throughout the Storm.  When you are living in the Information Age, it's hard when you cannot access the news or Social Media.  In addition, the little information you're able to receive is plagued with urban legends and false assertions.  Today, we are going to discuss what worked and what did not when it came to communications during the storm.

What Worked Well, and What Did Not: Telephone Communications

Traditional Land Lines: Win

   

Many people ask me why I keep a traditional, copper-wire-based Landline Phone.  Many people choose to forgo landlines all together, opting for cell phone service only. Many who do keep a landline have opted for VOIP service, bundled along with their monthly Internet.  Well, I keep my landline particularly for instances like Irma.  When I returned to the Island, I was one of the few with a working telephone.  Traditional landlines do not need electricity, cable, or working towers to operate.  Traditional landline phones were the ONLY utility in my area not effected by the Storm. 

I have many older neighbors with medical needs.  Many of these people have relatives who live out of State and worry.  I both accepted calls and made quite a few calls on others' behalf.  I did not worry about reaching 911, nor how my call would appear on dispatchers' screens if the call dropped. Many seniors experienced unnecessary stress, worrying what would happen if there were an emergency and they had no working phones. Being that I am a disabled woman who lives alone, I feel a traditional landline is worth the small, monthly expense.   Many of my neighbors regretted giving up their landlines when Irma hit.

Even my evacuation hotel was experiencing telephone issues.  Their phones went out the minute power and cable went, and they had a hotel full of people they needed to protect. Late into our first powerless night, I was in the lobby talking to hotel staff when we heard a ringing phone.  I went with the staff into the dark office to investigate. What we found was a fax line, attached to a traditional, copper-wire phone line.  We also found an old phone in a file cabinet.  I helped the staff to disconnect the electricity-requiring fax machine, and hook up the traditional phone.  The staff were elated. Now, they were not only able to check on loved ones who had evacuated out of state, but they were less worried about needing to contact emergency services and not being able to.  Finding a working telephone line made the next two days a lot less stressful for staff.

In this new millennium, we often think of landline phones as outdated technology. However, during an extended emergency event, sometimes outdated technology is the only thing that works.  My landline phones worked throughout the storm, as well as throughout the utility restoration period.  I cannot emphasize the utility of landlines during an extended emergency enough.

VOIP, Cable, and Fiber (FiOS) Phones: Fail

People who use VOIP calling found themselves out of luck, both during the storm and during the subsequent recovery period.  In fact, the VOIP phones were the first thing to fail.

VOIP stand for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Vonage, OOMA, Comcast, Spectrum, and FiOS all use VOIP technology. In fact, almost all "low cost landline" phone technology uses VOIP.  This means when the power and utilities go, so do your phones.

VOIP providers like to tout their "separate networks" for voice and data. When they sell you phone service, they often emphasize it uses a different "pipe" than data and TV, so a cable outage does not necessarily take down your phones.  They tout the battery backups in your phone box, as well as the backups they use to keep the system up.  These work very well during "regular" outages.  However, VOIP technology fails during a major storm event.

Many of the emergency services depend on Internet technologies to run effectively. That means limited capacity is immediately directed to those customers, prioritizing the traffic over residential and "regular business" use.  The backup batteries have an average run time of 6-8 hours, and many residential boxes have a weaker battery than that.  After that, the batteries fail, and you do not have phone service until power and cable are restored AND the batteries have a chance to recharge.  Many home and business users have older equipment, and they do not realize the backup batteries need replacing until everything fails during a storm.  In my area, it took about 2 days AFTER power was restored for folks to get VOIP phones and Internet service back.

For whatever reason, many folks choose to shelter in place, rather than to evacuate during a Storm Event.  I very often fall into this category myself. However, I have much greater peace of mind knowing my phone service will work throughout the storm, should I choose to stay. Unfortunately, for many folks, this was the first storm they suffered since deciding to give up traditional landlines.  I know a few individuals who are choosing to go back to a traditional landline, in preparation for the next storm. Many folks do not realize that a traditional landline still works when a VOIP phone does not.

"Mechanical Handsets": Win

   

When I say "mechanical handsets," I am referring to phones that work without electricity. I actually have 2, both of which are relics from the days we ALL had mechanical phones. One is a "Princess Phone,"  and the other is a standard push-button phone.

I have linked to three different mechanical phones, all available for $25 or less at Amazon. (If you do not see the photos and the links, you may need to disable your ad-blocker.)  EVERY house with any type of landline service needs to keep at least one mechanical phone on hand.  Even if you use VOIP phones, having a mechanical phone to use during short power outages will maximize your backup battery, giving you phone service for longer.  If you have traditional landlines, these will provide you with phone service for the duration of the power outage.

In a nutshell, you want at least one phone that does not plug in to anything but a phone jack.  Some phones that plug into electricity and a phone jack will operate without power. To test this, unplug it from the power outlet, but leave the phone line itself plugged in. Then try to make a call.  If the phone does NOT operate without being plugged in, it will be useless if the power goes out.  You will find that some plug-in phones only require power to hold numbers in memory or to power Caller-ID. Many of these will work without electricity, however, the memory functions and caller ID will not.

Personally, I keep a mechanical phone on my nightstand, as I want to be able to use my phone should there be a middle-of-the-night emergency that involves any loss of power.  I keep the second mechanical phone with my Emergency Supplies.
  

Cordless Phones: Fail

  

Cordless phones ALL require power to operate, and the fancier the phone, the more power it will draw.  Even battery-operated handsets require a powered base-station, and this base station will not operate during any type of electricity loss.  Many of us who have traditional landlines have replaced all of our mechanical handsets with cordless phones. If this is you, stash at least one mechanical phone with your Emergency Kit, so you can get it out if you suffer a power loss.  

During Irma Recovery, I replaced the cordless phone in the living area with a mechanical phone. My bedroom is upstairs, and I grew tired of trying to run to the only operating phone in the house.  I had phone service on the mechanical phones the moment I returned; it was another three days before my cordless phones were operational.

Google Fi Cell Service: Win

  

A little over a year ago, I switched my Cell Service over to Google Fi.  This ended up being one of the BEST decisions I've ever made.  Google Fi roams between Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. It also uses WiFi networks when they will provide a stronger signal. All communications over WiFi are encrypted and use Google's VPN, so you are safe, even on WiFi Hotspots.  Google Fi is a pay-as-you-go plan that gives you credit for unused data.  You do not need to sign a contract.   It is the only carrier using BOTH GSM and CDMA networks for communications.  Google Fi also includes International Roaming for free, which is nice if you travel overseas.  Even in an area with few WiFi hotspots, I find I can use WiFi for 90% of my cellular data needs, leaving me with a very low monthly bill. In fact, my cell service averages $27 a month.
  

Throughout Irma's wrath, I had no trouble with cell service. In fact, when others were unable to get a cell signal, my phone was even receiving a data signal. T-Mobile went down early, according to all the Evacuees who were trying to use it. Verizon also failed. I had no issues getting either a voice or a data signal until I returned to The Island.

Again, I live on a 7 mile Island. Until last year, we only had one cell tower to serve the whole Island. Last year, two towers were added, but neither has a lot of carriers on it.  And both new cell towers failed during the storm. The one remaining tower was in an area without electricity. When we returned, the cell tower was running on the last of its backup power and was severely overloaded.  It was sending a 3G voice signal, and data signals were virtually non-existent. Authorities asked folks to limit communications to texting, if at all possible. If you managed to actually get a data connection, it was cut off within a minute.

The streets were full of people trying to get a working signal. Folks were lucky to get one bar outside. When my phone was finally charged, I was getting 2 bars upstairs in my house. I was also getting 2 bars when I sat in my car, trying to get some juice into my dead cell phone.  I was getting a strong enough data signal to see some text on the Internet. (Photos and graphics would not load before the signal cut off.)  My friends on T-Mobile were completely without cell service for several days AFTER the power was restored. Other carriers suffered similar ongoing service issues. My Google Fi returned to its full barred, 4G LTE service the minute the power came back.

The other nice thing about Google Fi is that you can send and receive texts through Google Hangouts on a PC or Tablet.  This means if the cell tower is down, but you have some other form of Internet access, you're not cut off from messaging.  You can also use your phone as a WiFi Hotspot for no extra fees, a nice feature if you have cellular data but no Internet.

My experience showed me that Google Fi provides more robust service than anyone in my area. I also found I had stronger, better service at my evacuation hotel.  Because so much was down, and I kept loaning my phone to folks with an inferior provider, I knew my data bill would be higher this month. Imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail from Google, giving me a $20 credit just because I was in an Irma-effected area, and they anticipated I might have used more cellular data than usual.  That $20 covers my basic voice plan for the month. My billing cycle ends tomorrow, and despite the increased use, I only used about a GB extra data this month, which comes to $10.  With the $20 credit, my bill should actually be LOWER than normal this month.

Most Cellular Providers: Fail

   

During an evacuation, it is especially important that your cell phone works well. Even if you usually use a landline, those cannot come with you when you flee your home.  I am the ONLY one I know that did NOT suffer ongoing, extreme cell outages during Irma and the subsequent recovery period.

Many people choose to save money on a monthly bill by using a local-only type cell provider.  Others use low-cost resellers without realizing their traffic is given lower priority than "branded" customers.  This means that even after power was restored, many folks found themselves with one bar of 3G service.  

During the storm and the recovery period, folks were going upstairs, hanging out windows, and employing all of the decades-old tricks to try to get a cell phone signal.  Folks without WiFi calling apps or capabilities suffered more.  When the infrastructure is taxed, most cell phones just do not perform well.  And folks with expensive iPhones fared no better than folks with cheap androids.  The carrier, more than the phone, is what mattered most, and few of the carriers came through for customers. The few who were able to keep phones charged up found spotty service at best.  And many found themselves without the VOIP service on which they've come to depend.  This, of course, brings us back to why I choose to maintain a traditional landline and a mechanical phone.  

Most Cell Phones: Fail

Even cell phones that worked during the storm struggled when the storm was over.  Cell phones need to be charged, and many cannot make it through a typical day without a recharge. Overloaded circuits and failing technology exacerbate battery drain.  The phones are continuously trying to connect to signals that are unavailable, exhausting the juice more quickly. 

We will talk about power packs during part three of this series.  Suffice it to say, you'll need several power packs to get through an extended power outage. And when gas supplies are scarce, sitting in your car, wasting precious gas to charge a phone is not practical. Most car chargers are slower than a wall outlet.  And with modern cars, simply running the motor is not enough to recharge the battery; you must actually drive the car. Many folks exhausted their car batteries while using them as auxiliary power sources during the storm.

This is an instance where having a consumer-replaceable phone battery is a boon.  In that case, you can actually charge up a battery or two during storm prep, and merely swap batteries out while they are recharging.  Unfortunately. most newer phones do not let you swap out the batteries.  The only way to cope with a power crisis is to turn off all background services, turning them on only when you have a strong signal, or you are actively trying to get a message out.  Things like voice typing, which require server interaction, need to be put aside until the signals return.  Even with judicious use and good power packs, a cell phone will not make it through an emergency without losing its charge. And there is little a user can do about this.

Telephone Services Summary: Winners and Losers

   

In sum, the greatest thing you can have during a Storm Emergency is a traditional landline with a mechanical handset.  Cellular Services cannot be depended on during a Storm Event. VOIP phones will work during a minor outage, but when utilities fail. so do VOIP Phone Services.   

Cell towers quickly become overloaded during an emergency, and many are not working full speed because of the other infrastructure issues.  Bands are reserved for Emergency Services, and in many cases, you will not be able to get a signal at all.  In Florida, we found the older Cell Towers held up better than the newer ones. But in all cases, the networks suffered.  If you were able to get  a signal, it dropped quickly.  In no case could you count on getting a working signal, and in some areas, communications were limited to texting.  Geolocation services were not working, so 911 operators had trouble pinpointing cell calls to a specific address.  In many areas, cell outages persisted even when power and cable were restored.  Furthermore, cell service varied widely by carrier, with some carriers going down well before others, and with some carriers' service being restored before others.  If someone currently has issues with weak service, those issues were multiplied greatly during the Storm Event.  In addition, recharging cell phones was a feat in and of itself.  

During every storm event, we are warned that our cellular networks cannot be relied upon, yet folks still place their trust in them as a sole means of communication.  Many are sorry when a storm hits, and they learn this is true for themselves.  Even the businesses who rely on old-fashioned phone technology found themselves able to open before those who use newer tech.  This is something everyone needs to be aware of, and especially if you have any medical needs.  You just cannot count on having a working cell phone during an emergency of this magnitude.

What Worked and What Did Not: Internet

Cable Internet (Comcast and Spectrum): Fail

The cable Internet infrastructure is better in some places than in others.  Where I live, the infrastructure is taxed and overloaded, and outages are not uncommon.  This means cable Internet is often the first utility to go out. Irma was no exception.  When I returned to the Island, even the folks who had power had no Internet if they were cable subscribers.

Of course, cable modems need power to operate.  Most users figured their Internet would be restored as soon as the power came back.  Unfortunately, that did not happen. Folks were without Internet for several days after power was restored.  Television came back first, and its snowiness showed that the systems were not back to full operations.  Even businesses had to wait a day or two after power was restored to get Internet back.  For several days, if you had both cable Internet AND a cell provider that was not back at full capacity, you had no Internet access at all.   For days, I was seeing "Who has working Internet?" posts across my Irma Recovery Groups.

If you were able to find a working Cable Internet connection, it was sure to be slow and clunky, as so many people were trying to use it at once.  Often, driving to a business with working Internet gave you page load speeds that reminded you of 28.8 modem days.  Without fail, cable Internet was the first thing to go and the last thing to return.  I was happy I did not have to depend on cable for my Internet during the week after the storm.

WiFi Hotspots: Fail

As soon as NOAA announced that Irma was going to hit the US, Spectrum and Comcast announced all their WiFi Hotspots would be free, regardless of customer status.  Many of us delighted in the fact we'd be able to use Hotspots to get us through the storm.  The Hotspots went down more quickly than home Internet.

What the providers fail to mention is that most Hotspots piggy-back off of customers' networks. When a cable provider installs an Internet box in a home, that box often has 2 networks: the home network and a Cable Hotspot.  Unless an end user disables the Hotspot, others are connecting to a second network run through your Internet box.

What this means is the Hotspots go down along with home Internet, especially if you are in an area where a single provider dominates.  When I arrived at my Evacuation Hotel, there were several nearby Hotspots. However, with working WiFi at the hotel, we didn't need to use a Hotspot. When the power went out at the hotel, it took the Hotel Internet and all of the Hotspots along with it.  Likewise, when I returned home, there was nary a Hotspot to be had.  Even the places with power had lost cable, which means the cable Internet went down with it.  There was not a single WiFi Hotspot working on the Island.

Even McDonald's and Starbucks reopened before their Hotspots were back to functioning.  The Cable companies got the TV portion back up before they got customers' Internet working again.  And when it came to restoring Internet, business customers came first.  

However, it was right about the time that Internet began being restored that the providers cut off "free" Hotspot access. As soon as Hotspots were functioning again, they were restricted to customers only, or to expensive day pass plans.  So when people most needed the Hotspots, they were either not functioning, or they were back to pay-to-use.  

In my opinion, making cable Hotspots free was an empty PR gesture. Hotspots were only free for the period they were not functioning.  I had assumed I'd be able to count on Hotspots while traveling across the state, or when the hotel lost its Internet.  I had better luck finding a working cellular data connection than I had finding a working Hotspot.  I even drove to a condo on a neighboring Island, as I heard power and cable had been restored. On a good day, this condo has at least 2 dozen working Comcast Hotspots; during Irma recovery, it had not a one.

DSL Internet: Win

DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line.  DSL Internet is broadband, delivered via traditional copper phone lines.  Before Roadrunner was so ubiquitous, DSL was a popular way to bring High-Speed Internet into a home or business in Urban/Suburban areas.  (To be eligible for DSL, one must live within a proscribed radius of a telephone switching system.)  In most cases, DSL is cheaper than an equivalent Cable Internet package.

DSL requires a modem for access, and like a cable modem, differs greatly from the old dial-up modems.  Like with any broadband technology, DSL requires a router for WiFi.  However, unlike Cable, if you have a dial tone on your phone, your DSL is up, so long as you can power the required modem.

As mentioned previously, I have a low-power UPS, designed to provide several hours of backup power to a modem and router.  I smartly turned this OFF before I evacuated, so its power would not drain.  That meant I could power up the modem and router for short periods, and at least long enough to check my e-mail.  An old jump-starter-power-pack, similar to this one, gave me a few more hours.  And of course, as soon as the power returned, I was completely back in business. The same cannot be said for my friends and neighbors with cable Internet. I gave my WiFi password to a lot of people, including the neighbor next door who subscribed to cable, and I'd often come home to find folks sitting on my porch, availing themselves of the chance to use WiFi again.  

Once again, older technology weathers the storm much better. The landline phones worked, and so did the DSL Internet, delivered through those copper wires.

I signed up for DSL over a decade ago, and have never felt the need to make the switch to cable, that is until I was sold out to Frontier. Once I purchased my own equipment, even Frontier became bearable, and my only other choice is Spectrum, who charges twice as much for an equivalent level of service and requires bundling with a VOIP line.  Both Spectrum Cable and Spectrum phones failed with the first hint of a storm, and that is not at all unusual. My neighbor and I traded WiFi keys for in case one goes down, and he uses my DSL key a lot. I think I've used his cable key twice.

Where I live, we do not have a lot of choice.  Cable gives you less consistent service for a higher price. It also tends to go out in "regular" rain storms, and it takes a long time to come back after a Storm Event. When it comes to weathering storms, DSL is a clear winner.

Cellular Internet: Mixed

Although cellular Internet worked better than cable during Storm Recovery, I cannot in good conscience deem it a "winner."  Too much depends on the nearest tower and which provider you use.  In my own case, Cellular Internet was a clear "winner" on the East Coast, where their infrastructure is more robust.  I managed to keep sporadic service throughout the storm itself, and service returned to normal when the winds and water subsided.  However, not all of my evacuation-mates had a similar experience. Many lost cellular Internet when the power went out. Others lost theirs when the wind picked up.  At one point, I was hotspotting my own phone so that other evacuees could get a few minutes of service.  

When I returned home, it was a whole other situation.  The Island's infrastructure is less developed, and as I mentioned earlier, we were down to one tower, and it had to serve two islands.  If anyone managed to get a data signal, it was cut off within minutes. You could not maintain a data signal for long enough to read e-mail or to read any news.  My data signal returned with power to the tower, and it predated power restoration to my home by a day.  But again, folks on other carriers had completely different experiences. Many of those people were the ones I found sitting on my porch, as their own cellular Internet was still down.  I again hotspotted my own phone at a local pub, as I was one of the few getting a data signal on my smartphone.

Cellular Internet can be an adequate solution during an emergency, IF you have the right carrier. It can be an absolute nightmare if you have the wrong carrier.  Hence, I need to rate this as "Mixed." 

Internet Services Summary: Winners and Losers

Cable Internet and its associated "WiFi Hotspots" proved to be the clear losers in a Storm Emergency and the subsequent recovery period.  Across the State, Cable went down the earliest, and it stayed out the longest. The seemingly "generous" offer by the cable companies to offer free Hotspots to non-customers proved to be empty. If you were able to actually access a Hotspot at all, chances are you were outside of the area in which the offer was valid.  

Old fashioned DSL proved to be the winner, so long as there is an available power source for the modem.  Cellular Internet was the runner up, but its efficacy depended much on to which provider you subscribe.  Coverage varied widely, according to both location and carrier.  The bottom line is that there is no perfect solution for a Storm Event, and you'll need to prepare to be information deprived at the times you need information the most.

What Worked Well and What Did Not: Apps and General Communications

  

Paper Newspapers: Fail

The Newspaper Industry loves to blame the Internet for its demise, but my Irma experience tells me it is their own fault.  Despite the fact I get most of my news online, I still like a traditional newspaper. It's worth it just to get the comics.  I still get Home Delivery of our local paper.  There are still places electronic devices don't belong, and everyone needs a break from a screen now and then.

However, my local paper was a HUGE FAIL during Irmageddon. First off, they suspended delivery once the voluntary evacuation was called. I later found out that the morning the Mandatory Evac was called, they filled the machines but did NOT deliver to local customers. 

When they reopened the Island to all on Monday, I expected to have a paper the next Morning. Instead, when I finally accessed my e-mail, I found several from the paper, telling me they had suspended delivery, would resume the next day, and in the meantime, I should read the e-edition. I received the same e-mail three days in a row.

Now this same paper was reporting on the devastation of the Island, including the fact that most of us lacked clean water, power, and Internet. They reported that the cell towers were limited.  They reported that many of us had no way to watch TV or read the news. Yet they told their loyal Island customers to go read the paper online, for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT.  Meanwhile, they were driving past all those home delivery customers, not delivering papers, on their way to fill the machines.  

So the paper basically thumbed its nose at the poor folks on the Island, who were news starved and utility-challenged, as reported on their own front page.  "Ha, ha...we're not going to deliver your papers, but if you can find a working Internet connection, you can go online to get what you already paid us for.  And good luck with finding a way to do so!"

I actually took the time to contact the Publisher about this huge fail. I told her I found it insulting to find THREE days of promised delivery resumption, all of which were untrue, compounded by invitations to folks on an Island without power or working Internet to satisfy their need for news electronically.  If subscribers wanted an e-edition, and were actually capable of accessing it, why would they pay for home delivery?

Our Island Free Papers actually resumed delivery before the local Newspaper.  Their performance during this Storm, and the week that followed, is what finally convinced me to let my delivery subscription expire.  

Text Messaging: Win with Caveats

When a cell or data signal was available, Text Messaging proved to be the clear communications winner, second only to a traditional landline.  Texting puts the least drain on the system. As such, it is easier to get a "cell" to carry a text than it is to get one capable of carrying a call.  Text messages may get delayed, but will be relayed eventually, if you keep trying.  Carrier-provided SMS Messaging, commonly referred to as "texting" works, even with weak signals or few bars.

There are caveats here. This applies to the Messaging Services natively provided by your provider. This does NOT apply to third party messaging apps, video messaging apps, picture messaging, etc.  Facebook Messenger has a habit of trying to take over your SMS. This is a third party SMS app, and it may NOT perform as well during a Storm Event or when towers are overloaded.    When the towers are running at low power and are over capacity, you should always choose texting over voice calling.  In fact, voice calling capabilities may be turned off, while SMS Messaging functions fine.

The other caveat applies to Voice Typing. Many dictation apps and smartphone keyboards require a data connection to function. If service is limited, voice typing just will not work. It also places unnecessary strain on an already overloaded system. During a Weather Event, texting is best, but you need to go back to using your fingers. 

Facebook App: Win

Facebook proved to be vital during the storm. As I said earlier, I had decent cell service for most of Irma.  Even when I was unable to access pages through a web browser, Facebook worked. Often, I could not see pictures or graphics, but text loaded.  

As the Storm brewed, many Irma-related Facebook Groups formed, and I was added to several. These proved to be key both before and after the storm. Before the storm, we shared evacuation tips, packing tips, traffic tips, and tips on who had gas or water left. I followed The National Weather Service and a few meteorologists, and they kept me updated on Irma's path.  Folks shared photos and anecdotes as the storm moved through their area, and reported on areas where concerned loved ones had folks who had not checked in. 

During smaller Storm Events, I had taken on the role of "Facebook Weather Reporter." A lot of friends told me that while they work, all they can do is glance at a cell phone every now and again. They'd actually set up alerts for when I posted new content during a storm and its approach. Folks asked me to keep doing this, please.

I played a similar role while we watched Irma.  I kept sharing updates from NOAA and the weather folks.  About the time Irma approached the part of the state in which I'd sheltered, my cellular data connection started getting wonky. I posted something to this effect, and a friend who was farther North volunteered to take over, tagging me in every update so the folks on my timeline would see, and sharing posts to my timeline for me.  Like I did, he always summarized the shared posts, in case graphics were not loading.  

During the Storm and immediately after, Facebook was our only tie to any news. I do not understand how or why, but Facebook would pull up when nothing else would. And even if I could not read any posts, I was able to post short updates.  

After the storm, it was even more vital. We all checked in with each other. We shared war stories, photos, and resources. We learned about things like "refrigeration failure insurance," "disaster unemployment," "disaster food assistance," and "Project Blue Roof." We shared updates about power, gas supplies, open restaurants and grocery stores, trash and debris pick-up, and working WiFi. We shared roofers, tree doctors, mold specialists, and more. We collected relief supplies and donated to GoFundMes. And most of all, we supported each other.

Almost all Emergency Services Departments maintain active Facebook Pages. Your City and County should also have active Facebook Pages. So long as you follow the RIGHT accounts, and not the thousands of spoof or satire sites, Facebook can be a great source for information before, during, and after a Storm Event.

I never thought that I would be calling Facebook a vital thing to have in an Emergency Kit. But this Storm Event taught me the utility of Facebook.  It seemed to work when no other app would, and it kept us in the loop.  Irmageddon converted me to a Facebook Fan.

Twitter: Mixed

Twitter suffered the same load issues as Facebook, if you could get Twitter to load at all.  However, when in a situation with working Internet of any kind, Twitter can be very useful. The key lies in creating a "List" containing your Emergency-related Feeds. Mine contained the Twitter Feeds of NOAA, The National Weather Service, my Local and County Emergency Services, my Local and County Police,  a local news station or two, the local paper, and area Public Works.  Then, rather than trying to read my entire Twitter feed, if I got a connection, I tried to bring up this List.

In the old days, where Tweets did not contain graphics, Twitter would have been more helpful. In its current state, Twitter can be useless if graphics are not loading.  Furthermore, Tweets often contain links to web pages, which are useless when your browser won't load anything.  We're living in a world designed for Broadband; most modern web pages simply do not load on overloaded connections.

Before the Storm, Twitter was a great source of information. It was great once my power and Internet were restored. However, Twitter simply would not load over spotty connections, which is why I cannot call it a "Win."  

Zello and Other Walkie-Talkie Apps: Fail

As Irma brewed, there was a viral rumor spreading like wildfire. EVERYONE was supposed to download Zello, to use during the Storm.  The shared and reshared posts all asserted that Zello would work without Cellular Service. Unfortunately, those rumors were all "Fake News."

Zello and other Walkie-Talkie apps ALL need either a WiFi or a Cellular Data connection to operate. Once installed, they offer "Push to talk" capabilities, similar to a traditional Walkie-Talkie.  You can subscribe to "Channels," sort of like we used to subscribe to IRC Channels back in the days of Chat Rooms.  Then folks who also subscribe to that channel can reach out to you.  In fact, it's like an old Chat Room, except you're using voice instead of text to communicate.

Zello WAS useful during Harvey recovery. However, as with any good thing that goes viral, scammers and grifters start using it to fleece victims. As Irma loomed, hundreds of users believed the "works with no service" rumors, and Zello soon shot to the top of the charts in the App Stores.  At the same time, thousands of "Bad Guys" were setting up Zello Channels with "Official Sounding" names, with the sole purpose of spear phishing or data mining anyone who stumbled into it, thinking it was a "real" Emergency Services Channel.  By the time Irma made landfall, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the legitimate channels from the hundreds of sham ones.

Facebook at least has the "Check" to distinguish an "Official Page" from an imposter. And again, Facebook seemed to work when other apps would not.  Zello and the other Walkie Talkie apps have become bigger havens for sham artists than Facebook and EBay.  And NO app works if you have no service whatsoever!  For these reasons, Zello receives a failing grade.

Television News: Fail

Too many TV Reporters sensationalize the news today. Ratings, rather than journalistic integrity seems to drive them.  TV News is full of teasers, hyperbole, and incomplete reporting. Early on, I learned to ignore the TV Anchors and listen ONLY to the Meteorologists.  At 11 pm, the Anchor would report on the gloom and doom that awaited us, making is sound like the apocalypse was upon us, and at 11:20, the Weather Folks would come on and tell us the real truth.  Some weather people were more sensationalizing than the anchors.  I learned quickly that the BETTER Weather People had Facebook and Twitter Accounts. They posted updates on Web Pages. I learned I needed to go THERE for my weather updates, rather than watching the news on TV.

Summary: Communications Winners and Losers  

This is a difficult category. When power and utilities are down, they take down communications with them.  This seems to be an area in which the newer technology fails quickly.  The bottom line is we need to prepare to be communications-challenged during a storm.  Cellular service varies SO MUCH by provider, it's hard to generalize. A strong provider in your local area may prove to be weak where you end up seeking shelter.  Strong carriers seemed to fare better during Irmageddon, while weaker carriers failed quickly. 
    

Cable fared even worse than cellular service. Voice services, Internet, and TV all failed quickly.  (We'll be talking about Entertainment in Part Three of this series, including media options.)  Cable services were restored more slowly than other utilities in most areas.  

Old fashioned, copper wire Landlines were the clear winner in the communications arena.  When paired with a mechanical handset, landline service persisted throughout the Storm Event. In harder hit areas, traditional phone service was restored before any other utility.  Our copper wire telecommunications system is one of our oldest and most used technologies. It is still used by a lot of other technologies, and as such, it is well maintained.  Many of our most important government systems still rely on the copper wires, including the famous "Red Phone" at the White House.  Many families mourned the loss of their home phone, once the storm hit and nothing else worked.  And those of us who HAVE old fashioned landlines were VERY popular in Irma's aftermath.

By association, DSL wins for Internet coverage, so long as you have a power source for your modem. (Power Solutions will also be discussed in Part 3 of this series.)  Cellular Data was the runner-up, but again, this varied widely by provider.   WiFi Hotspots were useless during the storm, and a rare thing in the immediate days following.  

Facebook and SMS Messaging (Text Messaging) are your best options if you have cellular and/or data service. Neither will function when service is down.  Facebook seemed to function. although in a somewhat crippled fashion, even when other data services would not work.  Zello and other Walkie Talkie apps are the AOL Chatrooms of 2017.  Again, Facebook Groups proved to be a much better resource before, during, and after the Storm.

Of course, aside from the mechanical phone on the copper-wire Landline, communications technologies need power to work.  In Part 3, we'll talk about options for keeping your electronics charged.  And you need things to do when you have no cable TV to watch or Internet to surf.  We'll discuss entertainment options as this series continues. Finally, we'll talk about food and provisions, and what is good to keep in your Storm Kit that will keep without refrigeration and does not require power to consume.  

Follow us via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, or RSS to be notified when the next part in this series is published.  We are also working on future parts of our Alexa series, including reviewing the new additions and capabilities announced last week.  There are two new Echos, one of which eliminates the need for a separate Hub, and is compatible with Philips Hue Bulbs, as well as other hub-based Smart Devices.  

Again, we're interested in hearing your Storm Stories, as well as your storm survival tips. Hit us up in the Comment Section, or on Twitter or Facebook.   We're especially interested in hearing about eating your way through no power, and we'd love to include your tips in our next post.  We'd also love to hear your experiences with specific Cellular Providers.

We have a Giveaway going on, which expires in a few days. If it's not over by the time you read this, be sure to submit an entry.  We hope you'll join us for the rest of this series.