[LINK] home emergencies

[Karl Auer]

On Wed, 2009-02-18 at 15:37 +0000, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> Right now and by next summer, one guesses that very many Aussies would
> like Tom's idea of home-emergency CB-radios for all essential services.

I'm sure they would. It's a very attractive idea to anyone that doesn't
think about it for too long, and such a device would make a lot of
people feel more comfortable.

It just won't have any actual, practical effect in case of another fire,
and would on that score be a waste of money.

Actually it would be worse than no effect, because, like so much
"security theatre", it would lead people to expect that there might be
effective warnings, which might well, in turn, lead to them not
preparing or evacuating in time.

> Your own in-home police/fire/ambulance/anti-terror/power/phone/medical
> communications device, for a once-off hundred dollars? You'd want one?

Oooh, yes please! Then I could share in the confusion!

> Am guessing every Aussie elderly person, and every family person would.

Oh, absolutely. One in all in. I mean, look how much better the police
do their jobs with the wide availability of radar detectors and police
band scanners. Sure does help! And CBs are two-way! Fantastic! Give
everyone a siren, too! And let them bypass 000 in emergencies, because
think how much time that would save!

> And maybe, once in a while, it would be used for bush fire information.

If people want toys, then why shouldn't they have them? The few more
that die as a result of ill-advised dependence on gadgets instead of
common-sense will make no real difference.

Regards, K.

PS: I do know no-one is suggesting that the proposed devices be able to
receive operational emergency services transmissions, and that no-one is
suggesting they be two-way (are they?!?) Just exaggerating for effect.
It's still a bad idea.

PPS: And imagine the fun someone could have by transmitting *fake*
messages. "A huge fire is approaching Toorak! Save yourselves! Save your
poodles!" Haw! Watch them scurry! How cool is that! Much better than
arson.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karl Auer (kauer at biplane.com.au)                   +61-2-64957160 (h)
http://www.biplane.com.au/~kauer/                  +61-428-957160 (mob)

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