Scenario #1: A hurricane’s winds are diminishing. The phone and power lines are down; cell phone service is spotty at best; the water system is out; roads are impassable in many areas; some radio stations are on the air. Emergency management offices and city halls throughout the region have back-up power, supplies to distribute, and critical information for citizens who have stayed AND those who have left.

But, there is no electronic connection from the government locations to the surviving media.

There is no way to get the message out.

Scenario #2: A train has just derailed on the edge of town; a tanker car has split open. The wind is blowing the gas cloud toward a suburban city. The 911 center is deluged with people complaining about the smell. It is impossible to evacuate the area due to the gas. The health department wants people to stay indoors with their doors and windows closed. Ideally they should put wet towels at the bottom of the doors and tape closed any cracks for the next two hours.

But there is no instant, always-on connection from city hall to the 50 television and radio stations in the area. Calling each station to do a live, on-air interview will take hours.

There is no way to get the message out in time.

Build a communications network that connects Emergency Operations Centers and other key government offices with the public, the local and national media, and other governmental or NGO facilities.

Use a just-launched, high-technology satellite to maintain connectivity when phone lines, cell phone towers, and terrestrial internet systems have been knocked out.

Use modern video-compression technology so video feeds of news briefings with critical information can be distributed by satellite from anywhere to anywhere – locally or across the country – along with text bulletins and short-form alert messages.

Be sure all jurisdictions, large and small, can participate in the system so every municipality or government agency in the U.S. can get the message out.