Phone use during a major disaster

When a disaster strikes, a natural first reaction people have is to pick up the phone to contact their family and friends. But the sheer number of calls triggered by a disaster can result in an overloaded telephone system. And that means critical calls can't get through.

In an emergency, we all have a responsibility not to abuse what will be a tremendously congested telephone system.

Telephone tips following an earthquake or other disaster or major event:

Ensure all phones are on the hook

Use the phone only if a life is at stake

Listen to your radio and TV for instructions. 

Do NOT CALL 9-1-1 for information purposes

In the event of an earthquake:

    * After the shaking stops, make sure all telephones are on the hook.
    * Do not use the telephone immediately, unless a life is at stake.
    * Listen to local radio or television reports to find out when it is clear to telephone relatives and friends.

911 service

In areas where 911 emergency service is available, bear in mind that the service is designed to respond to individual emergencies and although many redundancies are built into the 911 emergency system it may not operate or be able to handle the sudden surge of calls following a disaster.

We recommend that you keep the numbers for your local police, fire department, hospital and ambulance service by your telephone in case you are unable to reach a 911 operator.

Delayed or no dial tone

If you must make a call and there is no dial tone immediately, do not hang up and do not click the receiver button. Simply wait on the line for a few seconds for a dial tone. If you cannot wait, hang up and go to a pay phone or the nearest fire, police or ambulance station.

To check whether your telephone circuit is busy or has been destroyed, blow into the receiver mouthpiece. If you cannot hear yourself in the earpiece and your telephone is connected to the wall jack, the circuit may be out of service and you will have to try another phone.

In the aftermath of a disaster, how long will it be before phone service returns to normal?

The timing will depend on the magnitude, location and nature of the disaster, and its impact on the community. For example, when earthquakes were felt in the BC Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island areas in May 1996 and February 2001, congestion was a problem, as everyone went for the phone at the same time in the first hour after the earthquakes. Most calls were easily completed after this short disruption.

How do you tell the difference between delayed dial tone and no service?

Blow into the receiver mouthpiece. If you can hear yourself in the earpiece, you have delayed dial tone. Do not hang up and do not click the receiver button. Wait on the phone for a few seconds for dial tone. If you cannot wait, hang up and go to a pay phone or the nearest fire, police or ambulance station. If you cannot hear yourself in the earpiece and your telephone is connected to the wall jack, the circuit may be out of service and you will have to try another phone.

Can your call be dropped off the network if you take too long to dial after you get dial tone?

Yes. Once you get dial tone, if you take a long time to dial, your call can be dropped off the network so that other calls can be placed. We suggest you have the phone number written down by your phone so you will be ready to dial as soon as you get dial tone.

What can you do if your call has been dropped off the network and you need to use your telephone?

Hang up for about fifteen seconds and you will be able to use your telephone again.

Will people still have to use coins for pay phones following a disaster?

Pay phones will continue to accept the same forms of payment as they do now. If you have coins, we recommend using them as your first choice. If you do not have coins, you can place a call using a TELUS Calling Card™, Call-Me™ service or a prepaid phone card, but we anticipate that our operators will be busy and it will take some time to reach them. Any changes to normal business practice will be announced over the radio and television.

Will pay phones have priority in a disaster?

Yes. TELUS pay phones will be given priority dial tone for outgoing calls. This will not affect incoming calls. Bear in mind that some pay phones may be damaged in a disaster. We will repair damaged TELUS pay phones as quickly as possible.

This information was compiled from the Telus and ECOMM websites.