Plan for tomorrow: Communication emergencies can happen at any time
Published on April 01, 2025
Los Alamos County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourages the community to plan for potential outages and emergencies today to ensure the safety and security of every individual, family, and business. Following two communication outages in the month of March, OEM supports the implementation of best practices at home and at work.
"In an emergency, reliable communication can mean the difference between chaos and coordination,” shared Emergency Manager Beverley Simpson, “Planning ahead for potential outages—whether due to natural disasters, cyberattacks, or infrastructure failures—ensures that critical information reaches those who need it most. Having backup systems, alternative communication methods, and clear protocols in place can keep communities safe and response efforts effective when it matters most."
No internet or cellular service provider can guarantee the community’s communications services will never be interrupted. Unexpected disruptions can happen at any time. As a result, Simpson recommends the following to help improve the continuity of business operations and personal safety if an outage occurs:
1. Sign up for CodeRED – Text LOSALAMOS to 99411 or visit lacnm.com/Alerts to sign up to receive emergency notifications.
2. Create a Family Emergency Plan for communications – Ensure that everyone knows how to stay in touch when normal communication methods fail.
3. Create Communication Redundancies – Consider a landline, second cellular provider, or satellite internet service—just three examples of creating personal redundancies.
4. Keep Cash On Hand – Be prepared when electronic payment systems are unavailable.
5. Keep Sufficient Gasoline in All Vehicles – Aim to keep the tank half-full for unexpected travel needs.
6. Tune In to AM 1610 Radio – Listen to the latest incident updates.
7. Turn on Wi-Fi calling on your cell phone – Use this feature when a connection is available.
8. Seek Public Wi-Fi Areas – County facilities, such as the Municipal Building or public libraries, may have public Wi-Fi access during an outage.
9. Consider seeking available Wi-Fi outside the outage area – If feasible, travel to a location where internet service remains available.
In the case of a communication outage, OEM reminds the public of the importance of avoiding calling 9-1-1 except in the case of a true emergency. Redundancies are in place to ensure police dispatch remains operational.
Simpson says, “We recognize the importance of businesses maintaining operations, parents keeping in contact with their children, and individuals staying informed. The County has limited control in how third-party organizations maintain and update their infrastructure or respond to a communication incident. What we can do as a County is continue to provide incident updates in as many ways as possible, though not only our online methods, but via CodeRED, traffic alert boards, and AM 1610 radio.”
Join the County for a Communications Outage Virtual Town Hall presentation Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m. Visit the event page on the County website for more information.
For additional emergency preparedness information, email LACOEM@lacnm.us or visit the Emergency Management website.