International Disaster Response: Amateur Radio

Amateur Radio
International Disaster Response
Lessons Learned
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned
Presented by
Howard F. Pierpont Bascombe J. Wilson S. Suri

KDØJAZ WØAIR VU2MY
The Preparedness Institute Disaster Resource Center NIAR-India
Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications
Critical Missions – Different Approaches
International Complexities
Lessons Learned
Preparing for the Future

Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio
and
Emergency Communications
Amateur Radio
Why Use Amateur Radio in Emergencies?
Question for
Policy Makers
Government Officials
Emergency Managers
NGO Executives
The Public
Amateur Radio
Why Use Amateur Radio in Emergencies?
 Amateur frequency spectrum enables regional and

global communication
 Easy deployment of voice and data communication
 Hams are adept at improvising ways to utilize

available communication resources
 Organized ham teams have training and experience

needed in public service
Amateur Radio
Emergency Service of Hams Includes …
 Communications for Search & Rescue operations
 Health and Welfare messages for the public
 Ad-hoc radio communication for unexpected

operational requirements in the field
 Communications for multi-agency support functions

Amateur Radio
Recent Examples
 2014 – Floods in Europe & Asia

 2013 - Typhoon Hainan / Philippines & Vietnam
 2011 - North Eastern Japan Tsunami
 2012 - Hurricane Sandy: Caribbean, USA & Canada
 2011 - Thailand flood crisis response
 2010 - Haiti Earthquake
 2009 - Floods in Andhra Pradesh
 2009 - Aila Cyclone, West Bengal
 2008 - Bangladesh ‘Sidr’ Cyclone response
 2008 - Sichuan earthquake, China
Amateur Radio
2010-2014
Digital Communication
RMS - 1
RMS - 2
Network System
RMS - 3 RMS-4
RMS – 10
RMS – 5
RMS – 9
RMS – 8
We can keep user agencies

RMS – 7
connected without an immediate
Internet connection.
RMS – 6
Amateur Radio
Aila Cyclone - 2009

 The devastation unleashed by “Aila” cyclone
deprived millions of people of their homes, leaving
them a narrow stretch of land on high grounds or an
elevated concrete road to survive.
 The Government of West Bengal sought assistance

from Ham volunteers in the region to bridge the
communication gap and for backup communications
at remote locations.
Amateur Radio
Aila cyclone - 2009
Our team:
• OM Mohan, VU2MYH
• YL Yamini, VU2YAM
• OM Jose VU2JOS
Yamini, VU2YAM and Bhanu,
• YL Bhanu, VU2BL and other Hams VU2BL operating the stations
Amateur Radio
Emergency Communication
Centers established in three
different locations in Port Blair
to support local administration.
Amateur Radio operators

with equipment were air
dropped to remote Islands
severely effected by Tsunami
Amateur Radio
DERA and NIAR Partner to Help Communities in Need
Key areas of
Partnership
 Information
sharing
 Technology
update
 Disaster
response
 Training
 S. O. P
(Orissa Cyclone -1999)

Amateur Radio
Preparedness is Essential
Promoting People’s
Participation in NIAR Headquarters
Hyderabad, India
Communication and
InformationTechnology &
Disaster Management
E-Mail: [email protected]
: 91 - 40 - 2331 0287
Amateur Radio
Recent Activities undertaken by NIAR

 Awareness programs
 Interaction with NGOs / Fishermen communities
 Demonstration of Ham skills
 Regular propagation studies
 Dxpeditions and Disaster Support Deployments
Future Programs
 Prepare a Road map to create 100,000 new Hams
 Promote and Popularize Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio
Join Us
Be a partner for Amateur Radio Promotion in India
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
DXpeditions and other Ham Events

Disaster Management Workshops
Exchange Programs
Training
Contact: [email protected]
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned
Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications
 Critical Resources and Organizations

 National Approaches to EMCOMM
 International Complexities
 Major Limitations and Challenges
 Lessons Learned
Amateur Radio
Valuable Resources
 1.6 million hams worldwide

 9 million transceivers
 $4,500,000,000 + investment (USD)
 Fixed, mobile & portable stations
 Frequency agility – Local to Global
 Multiple operating modes
 Scheduled & emergency nets
Amateur Radio
Priceless: The individual Who Has
 Knowledge and Skill

 Training and Discipline
 Motivation and Dedication
 Sense of Purpose and Direction
 An Important Job to Do
 A Team to Work With
Amateur Radio
Organizing the Resources
 IARU GAREC
 National Organizations
 Local Organizations
 Cohesive Teams
 Appropriate Mission
 Competent Leadership
 Trained & Capable Members
 Relationship with Served Agencies
Amateur Radio
National Approaches to EMCOMM
1. Government / Military Only

2. Paramilitary Organizations
3. Officially Recognized Auxiliary Teams
4. Certified Volunteers
5. Unofficial Organizations (NGOs)
6. No Formal Plan
Ad Hoc Response
No Volunteer Organization
Amateur Radio
International Complexities
 Political
 Cultural
 Language
 Financial and Logistical
 Regulatory and Technical
Amateur Radio
Regulatory and Technical Examples
 ITU Regional Differences

 Repeater Channel Differences
 Electrical Power Standards
 Diversity of Amateur Radio Modes
 Cross-Border Legalities
Amateur Radio
Reciprocal Licensing Agreements
CEPT Member Nations CEPT & IARP Member Nations
IARP Member Nations USA and Canada Treaty,

CEPT & IARP
Amateur Radio
Major Limitations
 Time
 Money
 Training
 Planning
 Coordination
 Technology
 Regulations
Amateur Radio
Challenges
 Relationships with Gov’t & NGOs

 Institutionalizing Amateur Radio Service
 Plans
 Training and Exercises
 Public Information
 Record of Successful Missions
 Evaluation & Improvement
 Managing Expectations
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned - Team Level
 All disasters are local…and international

 All disasters are political…and personal
 Preplanning is essential
 Training is critical
 Trust is everything
 Relationships take time to build
 Disappointments are not soon forgotten
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned - National Level
 Without communications, nothing else works

well. Disaster communications are vital to the
survival of people and society
 Hoax messages and inaccurate reports are a

very serious problem.
 Amateur Radio is frequently underutilized

during emergencies…sometimes intentionally.
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned - Internationally
 National governments set the rules

 We have many friends…and some detractors
 We lose credibility when we promise more than
we can deliver
 Needs and expectations are changing quickly
 Amateur radio can (and does) save lives and
reduce suffering during emergencies. We must
ensure that government officials and the global
public understand this.
Amateur Radio
Critical Communications Needs
 Threat Watch & Early Warning

 Public Alert and Reporting
 Preliminary Damage Reports
 Evacuation & Sheltering
 Logistics Tracking
 Response Team Support
 Emergency Medicine & Public Health
 Public Welfare Messaging
Amateur Radio
Critical Communications Matrix

Amateur Radio
Services Emergency Managers Want
 High Speed Multimedia

 Live Video from the Field
 Email and Instant Messaging
 Flexibility, Interoperability, Security &
Reliability: Fast, Easy and Cheap
Amateur Radio
Past Success…No Predictor of the Future

Amateur Radio
International Amateur Radio Union

Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
GAREC 2014
Huntsville, Alabama
August 14-15
www.iaru.org/garec.html
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned
Please share your

experiences & insight
Amateur Radio
Lessons Learned
Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio
More about NIAR

The institute conducts regular training programs to
train people for the Amateur Station Operator License
examination.
NIAR is fully equipped with teams

and material to assist the local
administration in any kind of
Emergency/ Natural / Manmade
Calamities.
Hon.. Rajiv Gandhi, VU2RG
NIAR assists Schools/ Colleges/ Individuals to form their

own Amateur Radio Clubs.
Amateur Radio
More about NIAR

 The Technical wing of the institute encourages
Amateurs to construct their own home made
transceivers.
 QSL bureau with callsign VU2APR is very popular
all over the world which does excellent work of mail
forwarding.
 NIAR has an excellent collection of books/ Journals
on Wireless Communication. The books ranging
from hobby kits to satellite communications.
Amateur Radio
More about DERA

 Founded in 1962
 ARRL-Affiliated since 1963
 International Association of Professionals &
Volunteers
 Focus: Preparedness-Communications-Logistics
 New members welcome
www.disasters.org
Amateur Radio
ITU Regions
Amateur Radio
Preparing for the Future
 International Organizations
 National Amateur Radio
Associations
 Other NGOs
 You, Individually and as a Team
Member
Amateur Radio
Preparing for the “Big One”
 Space Weather Event

 Massive Earthquake – Tsunami
 Man-Made Calamity
 Nationally-Catastrophic Weather
Amateur Radio
Preparing for the “Probable Ones”
 Seasonal Storms
 Floods, Flash-floods, Spring Tides
 Industrial & Transportation Mishaps
 Climate Change
 Malevolent Acts
Amateur Radio
What You Can Do
 Pre-Incident Planning
 Warning Phase
 Impact Reporting
 Supporting Initial Response
 Recovery
 Post-Incident

International Disaster Response: Amateur Radio

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Amateur Radio

International Disaster Response

Howard F. Pierpont Bascombe J. Wilson S. Suri

Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications

Critical Missions – Different Approaches

Preparing for the Future

Why Use Amateur Radio in Emergencies?

Why Use Amateur Radio in Emergencies?

 Amateur frequency spectrum enables regional and

 Easy deployment of voice and data communication

 Hams are adept at improvising ways to utilize

 Organized ham teams have training and experience

Emergency Service of Hams Includes …

 Communications for Search & Rescue operations

 Health and Welfare messages for the public

 Ad-hoc radio communication for unexpected

 Communications for multi-agency support functions

 2014 – Floods in Europe & Asia

We can keep user agencies

Aila Cyclone - 2009

 The Government of West Bengal sought assistance

Aila cyclone - 2009

Amateur Radio operators

DERA and NIAR Partner to Help Communities in Need

(Orissa Cyclone -1999)

Recent Activities undertaken by NIAR

DXpeditions and other Ham Events

Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications

 Critical Resources and Organizations

 1.6 million hams worldwide

Priceless: The individual Who Has

 Knowledge and Skill

Organizing the Resources

National Approaches to EMCOMM

1. Government / Military Only

Regulatory and Technical Examples

 ITU Regional Differences

Reciprocal Licensing Agreements

CEPT Member Nations CEPT & IARP Member Nations

IARP Member Nations USA and Canada Treaty,

 Relationships with Gov’t & NGOs

Lessons Learned - Team Level

 All disasters are local…and international

Lessons Learned - National Level

 Without communications, nothing else works

 Hoax messages and inaccurate reports are a

 Amateur Radio is frequently underutilized

Lessons Learned - Internationally

 National governments set the rules

Critical Communications Needs

 Threat Watch & Early Warning

Critical Communications Matrix

Services Emergency Managers Want

 High Speed Multimedia

Past Success…No Predictor of the Future

International Amateur Radio Union

Please share your

More about NIAR

NIAR is fully equipped with teams