Alternative Communication Systems... during disasters
4.
Alternative Communication Systems... during disasters
In Monsoon-2004, severe flood situations in the States of Assam and Bihar caused major devastation. Many district head quarters got totally cut-off from the State head quarter and neighboring districts due to submerged telephone exchanges or damaged cables and disrupted roads and railways communication. In the worst affected districts the need for relief and rescue operation could not be communicated to the State head quarters. Realizing this, State
Government requested National Disaster Management Division of the Government of India to immediately send the emergency coordination kits containing satellite phones to establish communication links among the severely affected districts and state headquarters. From the above case study, we see that during any major disaster or emergency situation, the communication links are totally disrupted. Therefore, it is crucially important to have completely functional communication links among Government authorities at various levels to provide adequate assistance to the affected population. This chapter tries to explain various basic telecommunication facilities, need for alternative communication systems during the large-scale natural disaster/emergency situations, and modes of emergency communication systems including satellite based communication systems.
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Can you think of today’s world without the telecommunication links? Quite difficult, right? The telecommunication links have become a vital part of our daily life. Most popular means of communication is the public wired telephone, which is known as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) line. This is the prime network connecting all Government and Private offices, police stations, fire stations, hospitals and majority of homes and business places by transmitting and receiving voice, fax and data. The usage of Wireless phones such as mobile (cellular) phones have also become widespread in recent times. Why
Alternative Communication Systems... during disasters
In Monsoon-2004, severe flood situations in the States of Assam and Bihar caused major devastation. Many district head quarters got totally cut-off from the State head quarter and neighboring districts due to submerged telephone exchanges or damaged cables and disrupted roads and railways communication. In the worst affected districts the need for relief and rescue operation could not be communicated to the State head quarters. Realizing this, State
Government requested National Disaster Management Division of the Government of India to immediately send the emergency coordination kits containing satellite phones to establish communication links among the severely affected districts and state headquarters. From the above case study, we see that during any major disaster or emergency situation, the communication links are totally disrupted. Therefore, it is crucially important to have completely functional communication links among Government authorities at various levels to provide adequate assistance to the affected population. This chapter tries to explain various basic telecommunication facilities, need for alternative communication systems during the large-scale natural disaster/emergency situations, and modes of emergency communication systems including satellite based communication systems.
28
Can you think of today’s world without the telecommunication links? Quite difficult, right? The telecommunication links have become a vital part of our daily life. Most popular means of communication is the public wired telephone, which is known as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) line. This is the prime network connecting all Government and Private offices, police stations, fire stations, hospitals and majority of homes and business places by transmitting and receiving voice, fax and data. The usage of Wireless phones such as mobile (cellular) phones have also become widespread in recent times. Why