Communication is power, but there can be little communication when the power's out.

That was plain enough in the tense minutes following the Oct. 15 earthquakes that led to damage primarily on the Big Island and power outages statewide. The state needed a better way to reach residents worried that the tremors might have triggered a tsunami.

The governor's panel of state officials and media representatives have compiled a promising list of civil emergency improvements.

Among the frustrations: The power failure crippled the networks of cellular transmitters, already clogged with calls. It would be prohibitively expensive to locate generators at all the cellular sites, but companies might forge at least a skeletal web of cell sites that would have backup power.

Another proposal with merit: setting up a media room with a generator and direct connections to Civil Defense and other first responders. This would further smooth the delivery of information.

Some of the ideas, including a Web site for media updates, build on emergency communication capabilities that exist now. Already, direct phone lines connect most broadcast outlets for the Emergency Alert System.

That system also should be expanded with an additional digital component, enabling information to be broadcast across a broader range of platforms, including cell phones.

Finally, this system could be adapted to enable Civil Defense authorities to interrupt broadcasts with news, even if it's essentially an all-clear.

The last thing worried residents need in a crisis is an information blackout.