Comms Strategy
The PACE Plan: Your Family’s Emergency Communication Protocol
Having a radio is a start. Having a PACE Plan is a solution. PACE is a military acronym that stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. It is a fail-safe method to ensure that if one method of communication fails, you have three more ready to go.
The Logic of PACE
A PACE plan doesn’t just list equipment; it lists order of use. You only move to the next letter if the previous one is physically impossible to use.
1. P – Primary (The Everyday)
This is how you communicate 99% of the time.
Typical Gear: Smartphones, WhatsApp, Signal, or Landlines.
When it fails: Cell tower congestion, internet outages, or localized power cuts.
2. A – Alternate (The Off-Grid Backup)
This is what you switch to the moment the cell network lags. It should be “semi-off-grid.”
Typical Gear: Meshtastic Mesh Networking or Satellite Messengers (Garmin InReach).
When it fails: Satellite interference or if you move out of LoRa range.
3. C – Contingency (The Tactical)
Now we are in a true “grid-down” scenario. No satellites, no internet.
Typical Gear: GMRS Radios for local family talk or Ham Radio for regional intel.
When it fails: Radio interference, EMP, or dead batteries.
4. E – Emergency (The Last Resort)
The “Hail Mary.” All electronics have failed or are unsafe to use.
Typical Gear: Signal mirrors, whistles, high-lumen flashlights, or pre-arranged “dead drop” locations and physical meeting spots.
How to Implement Your Plan
To make this work for your family, you need to write it down. Every member needs to know:
- The Window: “If the phones go down, we check the GMRS radio at the top of every hour for 5 minutes.”
- The Channel: “We always use GMRS Channel 15, Privacy Code 10.”
- The Meeting Point: “If no comms work, we meet at [Specific Location] at sunset.”