Primary, alternate, contingency and emergency (PACE) is a methodology used to build a communication plan.
The PACE plan system is expressed as an order of communication precedence list; The first is usually the best, more reliable, most used, fastest, and highest bandwidth of the options.
Developing a PACE plan is a collaborative effort balancing operational needs and communications options.
Departmental PACE plans should be coordinated with emergency management and the communications team.
Developing comprehensive PACE plans will not ensure perfect communications in a disaster, but may help to clear one more layer in the fog and friction found in every emergency situation.