International Telecommunication Union
Humanitarian
Telecommunications
Dr. Alice Bernard Sessa
Télécoms Sans Frontières
Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
TSF’s mission is to offer telecommunication
facilities anywhere terrestrial infrastructures
are destroyed, insufficient or non-existent
Floods, Hurricanes…
11.02.2003
Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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TSF at a glance
France – 2001
France – 1999, 2002
Explosion of a chemical
plant
Floods
Italy – 2000
Germany – 2002
Floods
Floods
Balkans – 1998 – 2000,
2001
Conflict
Nicaragua – 2003
Afghanistan –
2001
Long term project
Conflict
El Salvador – 2001
Thailand – 2000
Earthquake
Floods
Venezuela – 2002
Floods
Timor – 2000
Peru – 2002
In partnership
with the UNHCR
Earthquake
Turkey – 1999
Earthquake
India – 2001
Guinea – 2000
In partnership
with the UNHCR
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Angola – 2002
Long term
project
Rwanda/Democratic
Republic of Congo –
2002
Volcano eruption
In partnership with the
Red Cross
Earthquake
Syria – 2002
Eritrea – 2001
Dam collapse
In partnership
with the UNHCR
Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Crisis Triangle
Information
Platforms
Site of event
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Outside world
•Crisis Coordination Centre
•Headquarters
•Field Operations
•Media
•Victims
•Relatives
Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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What do relief efforts need?
o Voice
•
•
•
•
HQ – Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC)
HQ – Field Operations
Field Operations – Crisis Coordination Centre
Field Operations – Field Operations
Access to Information
• Email
• Internet
• Fax
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Rescue Team Coordination
Within minutes, TSF sets up
a fully operational
telecommunications centre
with :
•Telephone
•Fax
•Internet access
•Data transmission
•Video emergency
Local and international rescue teams, other NGOs, UN
agencies etc. can contact their headquarters and field offices
to exchange reports, photos and live videos of the situation.
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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What do survivors need?
o Food, Water, Medicine …
o Access to Information
o Help and support
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Support for Survivors
Survivors are offered
the chance to call their
families to reassure
them and obtain help.
Dispersed family
members can be
reunited.
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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TSF’s Role
Information
Platforms
Site of event
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Outside world
•Crisis Coordination Centre
•Headquarters
•Field Operations
•Media
•Victims
•Relatives
Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Is technological progress the
answer?
o Yes
•
•
•
•
Costs down (e.g. Inmarsat’s MPDS, RBGAN)
Speed up (e.g. broadband)
Miniaturisation, Processing speed …
Informatics culture improving
o No
• Existing technology enough
• Human f actors
• Technological gap
• Countries
• NGOs
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Are conventions & standards
the answer?
o Yes
• Tampere convention
• Global standards
• Mobile phone standards
o No
• Coordination
• Human factors
• Bureaucracy
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Conclusion
GAP
Training
Preparedness
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Our partners
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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Télécoms sans Frontières
20 avenue Garcia Lorca
64000 Pau, France
Tel: +33 (0)5 59 84 43 60
Fax: +33 (0)5 59 84 43 58
contact@tsfi.org
www.tsfi.org
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Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, 17-19 February 2003
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