Proposal for robust person-to-person communications system for large-scale emergency displaced population of people and pets

Lessons learned about person-to-person communications and reuniting people and pets through major emergencies from September 11, 2001 through 2018 are reviewed. Congressional attempts to rectify problems are listed. Abandonment of the National Emergency Family Register and Locator System (NEFRLS) by FEMA, the American Red Cross Safe and Well Program, and social media systems are reviewed. New enabling technologies, that have heretofore not been exploited for the purpose, are reviewed. A new, rapidly deployable, person-to-person communications method that more fully exploits state-of-the-art communications technology, removes barriers, and is as simple to use as a telephone, is proposed. In particular, the proposed system is equipped to handle a large nomadic component, which could potentially be millions of people and pets. For example, an earthquake, tsunami, nuclear power plant malfunction, chemical plant malfunction, terrorist act, or war.