Disaster Preparedness &
Response Summit
Steve Birnbaum
Chair, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Response Programs
Global VSAT Forum
steve.birnbaum@gvf.org
www.gvf.org
The Global VSAT Forum
• Non-Profit Satellite-Sector Association (FSS, MSS, BSS)
• 230+ Member Organizations Based Globally
• Members Support Millions of Systems Worldwide
• GVF Enabling Satcom Service Delivery Through:
o Facilitation:
Emergency Notifications, Dialogue
o Training:
VSAT Installation and…
o Preparedness:
GVF Registry & Installer Database
GVF Disaster Preparedness
Registry Relationships
Distinguished Panel
Name
Larry Wentz
Lynda Geraci
Robin Burton
Shanti Smith
Title
Senior Research Fellow, Center for
Technology and National Security Policy
President
Telecom Consultant
Program Director
Organiztion
National Defense University
About Business Continuity Inc
IFRC / TERA
Witt Associates
Minister of Telecommunications, Science,
Dr. Jerrold Thompson Technology and Industry
Gaetan Mentor
Advisor
Howard Mollison
DRP Committee Chairman
Joel Trimble
President
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Telecom Haiti
CANTO
Haiti Satellite
Donnie Vella
Kelly O'Keefe
Scott Johnson
Steve Collar
Steve Yablonski
Commercial Mobile Alert System
Iridium
MTN Government Services
O3b Networks
Globecomm
Advisor
Manager of Strategic Programs
CEO
SVP & CTO
UN Disaster Definition
• 10 or more people killed, OR
• 100 or more people reported affected, OR
• Call for assistance (exceeded regional response
capacity), OR
• Declaration of state of emergency by national
government
6
Source: http://www.emdat.be/criteria-and-definition
The “Whole Community”
"Perhaps the most important initiative we must undertake, regardless of the
budget environment, is to recognize our efforts are part of an interconnected
plan of action. This "Whole Community" approach to emergency
management provides the appropriate framework for leveraging the
expertise and resources of our stakeholders at all levels, both governmental
and nongovernmental.
…We know that non-governmental organizations - like faith-based and
nonprofit groups - and private sector entities possess knowledge, assets and
services that government simply cannot provide. An effective disaster
response involves tapping into all of these resources.
…Through engaging the "Whole Community," we maximize our limited
funding and leverage the capabilities of our partners, who play a critical role
in the process.”
Craig Fugate, FEMA
House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness 2012
PPD8 – July 6, 2012
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of
the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The Federal Government must have the ability to
communicate at all times and under all circumstances to carry out its
most critical and time sensitive missions. Survivable, resilient, enduring, and
effective communications, both domestic and international, are essential to
enable the executive branch to communicate within itself and with: the
legislative and judicial branches; State, local, territorial, and tribal
governments; private sector entities; and the public, allies, and other nations.
Such communications must be possible under all circumstances to ensure
national security, effectively manage emergencies, and improve national
resilience. The views of all levels of government, the private and nonprofit
sectors, and the public must inform the development of national security
and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications policies, programs,
and capabilities.
Full Text: http://1.usa.gov/PlCLga
Tampere Convention
The Tampere Convention calls on States to facilitate
the provision of prompt telecommunication assistance
to mitigate the impact of a disaster, and covers both
the installation and operation of reliable, flexible
telecommunication services.
Regulatory barriers that impede the use of
telecommunication resources for disasters are waived.
These barriers include the licensing requirements to
use allocated frequencies, restrictions on the import of
telecommunication equipment, as well as limitations
on the movement of humanitarian teams.
Tampere Convention
Signatories
Country
Date of Signature
Barbados
Brazil
12 Mar 1999
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Haiti
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Uruguay
Venezuela
18 Jun 1998
As of January, 2009
Definitive signature (s)
ratification, accession (a),
acceptance (A) or approval (AA)
25 Jul 2003 a
12 Jun 2008 a
20 Jun 2003
9 Aug 2000
11 Feb 1999
25 Feb 1999
18 Jun 1998
20 Sep 2001
14 Jan 1999
31 Jan 2000
26 Dec 2000 a
18 Apr 2002
18 Nov 1999
5 Mar 2003
27 Oct 2003
14 Aug 2003 a
13 May 2003
3 Apr 2003
13 May 2005
FCC Programs &
Capabilities
•
Alerting
o
o
•
Restoration capabilities
o
o
•
First ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System last November
Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)/Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) - A service
that allows customers who own an enabled mobile device to receive geographically targeted
text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area.
Deployable Aerial Communications Architecture – FCC put out a notice of inquiry to get feedback
on how aerial devices could assist with communications restoration over a wide area. Key
challenges include interoperability, frequency planning, minimizing interference, and
coverage. But there is a lot of opportunity to explore this type of technology for wide area
restoration.
Deployable Enhanced Emergency Radio Station (DEERS) – an FCC concept for a “radio station in
a box” that allows for rapid restoration of broadcast radio capabilities in an affected zone. The
key is that there may be only one or two foreign language stations in an area, or a remote area
with one main broadcaster – if they go down, this truck could be brought in to allow them to
continue providing valuable information over the airwaves.
Activities on identifying the extent of damage
o
The Disaster Information Reporting System, or DIRS, is a voluntary, web-based system that
communications companies, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, and cable providers, can use
to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times
of crisis. This helps streamline requests for assistance and helps us understand the extent of
damage.
FCC General Thoughts
•
•
•
•
•
•
Why pay for preparedness?
o
o
Speed (predeployment, availability to avoid the “rush” when many people need the same goods)
Effective Use (allows for testing, regular use – more likely to be effective)
o
o
o
o
o
Redundant (backup capabilities)
Available (not subject to congestion, ubiquitous)
Diverse (multiple means or paths)
Secure (hardened against attack, listening)
Interoperable (able to reach multiple devices)
o
o
o
Getting life saving information out to the public
Coordinating response
Giving the public access to emergency services
Focus should be on resilience of our communications – operability and
interoperability, with capabilities that can be gap filled or restored.
There should be multi-jurisdictional sharing in a crisis, or an ability for
neighboring jurisdictions to assist each other – flexibility in shared mobile
assets with mutual aid agreements
What does resilience look like in communications systems?
Not every system one uses must have all of these attributes – it is
important to think of them as capabilities that an entire communications
suite must have
Some reasons why communication is important