When military units go into the field, they don't just have a backup communication plan. They have a backup to the backup to the backup. It's called PACE planning, and it's the reason Special Forces teams can coordinate operations in the most hostile environments on Earth.
When cell networks fail - and they do, regularly - most families have no idea what to do next. No Plan B. No Plan C. Just... hope it comes back soon.
The military doesn't operate on hope. Neither should your family.
What is PACE?
PACE is an acronym developed by the U.S. military for building redundant communication systems:
P — Primary
A — Alternate
C — Contingency
E — Emergency
The concept is simple: you establish four distinct methods of communication, each using different infrastructure, so that when one fails, you automatically know what to try next. Everyone on the team knows the plan. No confusion. No scrambling.
CISA (the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) now promotes PACE planning for emergency management agencies, hospitals, and first responders. But there's no reason families can't use the same framework.
The Four Levels Explained
PRIMARY: Your Everyday Method
This is what you use when everything is working normally. For most families, that's cell phone calls, text messages, and messaging apps (iMessage, WhatsApp, etc.).
Your Primary method is usually the fastest, most convenient, highest-bandwidth option. It's what you don't even think about — you just use it.
The problem? Most families stop here. When Primary fails, they have nothing.
ALTERNATE: Your First Backup
When Primary fails or is degraded, you switch to Alternate. The critical rule: your Alternate must use different infrastructure than your Primary.
This is where many people make a mistake. If your Primary is cell phone calls, your Alternate shouldn't be cell phone texts — they use the same cell towers. When the towers fail, both fail together.
Good Alternate options:
- Wi-Fi calling — uses internet, not cell towers
- Landline — if you still have one (note: most modern "landlines" are actually VoIP and need internet)
- Out-of-area contact — long-distance calls often connect when local networks are jammed
- Email — if you have internet access through a different provider
The key question: If my Primary method fails, will my Alternate still work? If they share the same point of failure, you need a different Alternate.
CONTINGENCY: When Things Get Serious
Contingency kicks in when both Primary AND Alternate have failed. This is "the grid is down" territory — you need communication methods that don't rely on normal infrastructure.
Contingency options:
- Satellite communicators (Garmin inReach, Zoleo) — work anywhere on Earth via satellite
- Smartphone satellite features (iPhone 14+ Emergency SOS, Pixel 9 satellite messaging)
- Ham radio — requires license, but enables long-distance communication with zero infrastructure
- FRS/GMRS radios (walkie-talkies) — short range, but no infrastructure needed
- NOAA weather radio — for receiving emergency broadcasts when nothing else works
- Mesh networks (Meshtastic, MeshCore) — emerging technology for decentralized communication
Contingency methods often require advance planning and investment. You can't buy a satellite communicator during an emergency. You can't get a ham radio license when the towers are already down.
EMERGENCY: Last Resort
The Emergency level is what you do when all electronic communication has failed. This is your "everything is broken" plan.
Emergency options:
- Physical meeting at predetermined location — everyone knows where to go
- Physical messages — notes left at agreed-upon spots (mailbox, neighbor's porch, specific location)
- Runners — yes, actually sending someone to deliver a message in person
- Visual signals — flags, lights, or other pre-arranged signals
The Emergency level might feel old-fashioned, but it's the backstop that works when nothing else does. Military units still train on physical communication methods because electronics can always fail.
Building Your Family PACE Plan
Here's a template you can adapt:
LEVEL P — PRIMARY
Method: Cell phone calls and texts
Who has it: Everyone
Trigger to move to Alternate: Calls won't connect, texts not delivering, "SOS" on phone
LEVEL A — ALTERNATE
Method: Wi-Fi calling (if internet available) + contact Aunt Sarah in Ohio (out-of-area relay)
Who has it: Everyone knows to enable Wi-Fi calling; everyone has Aunt Sarah's number memorized
Trigger to move to Contingency: No internet available, can't reach out-of-area contact
LEVEL C — CONTINGENCY
Method: Garmin inReach satellite messenger (kept in go-bag) + FRS radios for local coordination
Who has it: Primary device with Dad, everyone knows location of backup radios
Trigger to move to Emergency: Satellite device lost/damaged/unavailable, radios out of range
LEVEL E — EMERGENCY
Method: Meet at Grandma's house (primary) or the oak tree in Riverside Park (secondary) within 24 hours of losing all contact
Who has it: Everyone knows both locations
Additional: Leave note in sealed container under back porch if must leave home unexpectedly
Critical PACE Planning Principles
1. Different Infrastructure at Each Level
The whole point of PACE is redundancy. If your Primary and Alternate both rely on cell towers, you don't have redundancy — you have the illusion of redundancy.
Ask yourself: What could take out each level? If the same event (power outage, cyberattack, natural disaster) would kill multiple levels, you need to rethink your plan.
2. Everyone Must Know the Plan
A PACE plan only works if every family member knows all four levels. The plan shouldn't live in one person's head or in a document no one has read.
Practice it. Quiz your kids: "If you can't reach us by phone, what do you do next?" The answer should be automatic.
3. Know Your Trigger Points
When do you switch from Primary to Alternate? Don't wait until you're desperate. Establish clear triggers:
- "If we haven't been able to reach each other for 2 hours, switch to Alternate"
- "If phones show SOS, immediately try Wi-Fi calling and contact out-of-area relay"
- "If no contact for 6 hours, move to Contingency"
- "If no contact for 24 hours, execute Emergency plan"
4. Practice Each Level
You don't want the first time you use your satellite communicator to be during an actual emergency. Practice:
- Enable Wi-Fi calling and test it
- Actually call your out-of-area contact and explain the system
- Turn on your satellite device and send a test message
- Use your FRS radios with family members
- Drive to your Emergency meeting locations so everyone knows exactly where they are
5. Maintain Your Equipment
Contingency equipment needs maintenance:
- Satellite communicator subscription active?
- Batteries charged?
- FRS radios tested recently?
- Out-of-area contact still have the same number?
Quick Reference: Sample Family PACE Plan
| Level | Method | Infrastructure | Trigger to Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | Cell calls/texts | Cell towers | No signal, calls failing |
| A | Wi-Fi calling + out-of-area contact | Internet + long-distance | No internet, can't reach relay |
| C | Satellite communicator + FRS radios | Satellite + radio waves | Device unavailable/damaged |
| E | Meet at predetermined location | None (physical) | — |
Key Takeaway
The military plans for communication failure because lives depend on it. Your family's safety matters just as much. Take 30 minutes this week to build your PACE plan — and make sure everyone in your family knows all four levels.
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