- Many people today have mobile phones and This highlights the importance of mobile communication after an emergency. Transportable mobile phone towers could be brought in after emergencies to maximize signal strength and network capacity, and give the best possible chance for trapped people to communicate with the outside world. This won't help everyone of course, but if the population knows how to drop, cover and hold on and has carried out earthquake mitigation before the quake occurs, then there are likely to be more people who actually survive even when the building collapses, and some of them will be able to call or text with their phones.[1]
- Listening for cries of distress is important - sometimes all rescue activity is halted and silence is called for, to listen for such cries. The use of sensitive microphones might be expected to help with this.
Advanced technologies
- Small animals have been fitted with cameras (and microphones?) and locating devices and sent into rubble. The question is one of encouraging them to find people (but not harming them), and/or controlling where they go.
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Notes
- ↑ This is somewhat speculative; however it is widely accepted that communication is essential in emergency situations. In the aftermath of the Padang earthquake of 2009, at least one SMS (text message) was received by authorities, saying that seven people were alive and trapped in a certain location (however, news reports as at Oct 5, 2009, didn't state who sent the message, whether a trapped survivor or someone who had managed to talk to the trapped people.