An Overview of the Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery & Emergency Management Environment: The Communications Imperative

The regular and frequent occurrence of natural disasters of various types is an all-too-well known factor around the globe.

This is an accepted, if unfortunate, part of everyday life for many millions of people, and – particularly in the US – many millions of tax dollars are expended seeking to predict such events, and to thus mitigate their damaging consequences through the application of disaster recovery, emergency management and business continuity procedures and programs.

Increasingly, it is recognized that the most effective application of such procedures and programs is dependent upon the deployment of wireless communications which facilitate the coordinated movement of logistical, rescue and first responder resources into, and within, regions threatened by – or recovering from – a disaster situation.

Of course, similar considerations apply to disasters which are man-made, but contained within the focus of this article are a number of illustrations of naturally occurring phenomena which bring with them both threat to life and limb, and which have economic consequences for individual towns and cities or an entire geographic region.

For example, Figures 1 and 2 examine the period between 1980 and 2004, using data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to identify US weather-related disasters, each of which caused damage in excess of a billion dollars.

In addition, recent earthquakes – and events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami – have brought with them major human catastrophes and debilitating consequences for societal and economic infrastructures. In the United States experts believe that it is inevitable that a future earthquake will at some time hit the highly populous west coast, but unlike hurricanes – and some other weather related incidents – the forewarning of major seismic activity has not yet been accurately accomplished. In consequence of this, the need for a constant state of readiness, together with very clear preparation and planning for the imperative contribution of emergency communications platforms and channels is so much more critical.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has reported the broad extent of earthquake activity on a state by state basis for the period 1974 to 2003, with 20 states experiencing events in this timeframe. During one week in February, 2006, California alone experienced 224 earthquake events, some up to a magnitude of 4.0.

As noted above, given that in all such disaster situations the first imperative is communications connectivity, it is essential to understand how various alternative communications platforms will – or will not – be able to provide the necessary communications channels to support recovery and mitigation initiatives.

The Satellite Communications Imperative
Terrestrial wireless equipment (e.g. cellular phones, land mobile radios, etc.) is only useful when communications towers and other fixed equipment are in place to connect wireless equipment to the local and global communications backbone. In the majority of emergency situations, this infrastructure has either been destroyed or damaged as a consequence of the disaster – as was the case in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina – or was not available before the disaster – as was the case in Pakistan when a major earthquake struck. It is this reality which makes it critical for local government and emergency workers to have access to a wireless communications network that operates independently of terrestrial infrastructure.

Satellite communications provide such a solution. Satellites offer the only wireless communications infrastructure that is not susceptible to damage from disasters, simply because the main repeating equipment which sends and receives communications signals (located on the spacecraft) are located outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, either in geostationary orbit (GEO satellites) or in low Earth orbit (LEO satellites).

The former, GEO satellites, orbit at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers (22,000 miles) above the Earth. At this altitude they occupy a fixed position relative to a given point on the Earth’s surface and can provide communications services for a single country or an entire region covering up to one-third of the entire globe. GEO satellites are capable of providing a full range of communications services, including voice, video and broadband data. They operate with ground equipment ranging from very large fixed gateway antennas down to fully mobile terminals the size of a cellular phone. There are currently almost 300 commercially operated GEO satellites in orbit operated by global, regional and national satellite communications carriers.

Even before disasters occur, the networks supported by GEO satellites are used all around the world to provide, for example, seismic and flood-warning data to government agencies, thus enabling early warning systems to provide advance information on impending disaster, and facilitating the broadcast of disaster-warning notices to widespread populations. In addition, networks supported by GEO satellites provide for general communication and information flow between government agencies, relief organizations and the general public.

LEO satellites, on the other hand, operate in orbits between 780 kilometers and 1,500 kilometers (485 – 900 miles) altitude. Typically, LEO satellite systems offer voice and low-speed data communications, and operate with handheld units about the size of a large cellular phone. In common with handheld terminals that rely on GEO satellites, the highly portable nature of LEO-based units makes them another valuable satellite solution for first responders in the field.

In order to most effectively utilize the capabilities of these various systems, government agencies, relief organizations and other first responders must define in advance the kind of terminal equipment they will need to meet the objectives of their activities in the field both before and after a given emergency situation. This can be achieved, and integrated into their overall emergency planning procedures and programs, with a comprehensive understanding of the different capabilities of the various satellite system types described below.

Choosing the Right Satellite System Alternative
Satellite technology is fully capable of providing narrowband and broadband IP communications – Internet, data, video, or voice over IP (VoIP) – with data speeds starting at 64 Kbps from handheld terminals up to 4 Mbps bi-directional from portable VSAT antennas. With fixed terminal installations the bandwidth can support up to 40 Mbps.

Handheld Mobile Solutions
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster which renders destroyed or inoperable a local, ground-based, communications infrastructure, there is one reliable form of communications that is immediately deployable – handheld satellite telephone systems provided by mobile satellite service (MSS) providers. Such systems provide satellite communications access through small, cellular phone sized devices, as well as pagers and in-vehicle units. Satellite phone rental can be as low as $40 per week, and purchase prices range from $400 to about $2,000. As with any mobile telephone system, connections are on a per-minute billing basis, starting at under a dollar a minute.

Portable and Transportable Solutions
Terminals used for “communications on the move” include equipment that can be transported and operated from inside a road vehicle, maritime vessel, or fixed wing and rotary aircraft, including commercial airplanes. This kind of terminal is useful where highspeed and data intensive connections are required on an expedited basis for damage assessment, medical evaluation, or other applications where voice, video and data are required in combination. Depending on the satellite system and the type of equipment in use, these systems can typically be made ready for operational use within five to 30 minutes of arrival on site, usually without the need for expert technical staff. As with communications systems in general, higher satellite terminal prices – whether mobile, portable, or fixed – equate to more robust services, greater levels of reliability, faster delivery, and a wider range of features and options.

Fixed Satellite Solutions (FSS)
Fixed satellite service (FSS) terminals are typically installed in situations where the equipment is required for periods of longer than one week, including pre-disaster applications (e.g. environmental monitoring, communications redundancy, etc.) as well as post-disaster recovery operations. Such systems are configurable to provide everything from low-speed data transmissions up to very broad bandwidth data and full broadcastquality video to replace local and national infrastructure and services. FSS systems must be installed by qualified technicians, and to support their installation and deployment satellite companies have developed an industry-standard VSAT Installation & Maintenance Training Certification Program, more details of which are provided elsewhere in this Guide, and also under the “Training” section of the homepage at www.gvf.org.

A Quick Guide to Procurement: Bandwidth and Integration
There are a number of global satellite carriers that operate fleets of GEO satellites. These provide fixed or portable communications, although some are also used for mobile services, including those used on ships and aircraft. There are also a large number of regional and national satellite carriers that provide FSS and portable services covering North & Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. In addition there are several operators of systems providing service to handheld satellite phones and pagers.

The emergency management community has a variety of choices for obtaining access to these various satellite services, with handheld mobile satellite systems being the simplest, in keeping with the way the systems work. All that is required is contact with one of the many value-added resellers to lease or purchase the equipment and sign a service contract. These suppliers can be readily located via the Internet, and the handheld units can be shipped on an expedited basis.

For portable and fixed services it is possible to either contact the satellite companies directly, or to work through one of the wide range of network integrators that provide end-to-end communications services – including fixed very small aperture terminals (known as VSATs), and satellite bandwidth access – on either a global, regional or local basis. These companies are often registered with local telecommunications regulatory agencies, and most are members of the GVF. To access the GVF Interactive Online Industry Directory (for more information, see below), please go to www.gvf.org and click on the “Members” button.

A Quick Guide to Procurement: Other Services
As noted above, and explored in detail elsewhere in this Guide, long-term planning for disaster mitigation can be well supported by satellite-based networking. Fully redundant communications networks supported by back-up satellite solutions are one of the most effective means of ensuring operational continuity throughout any emergency.

To support the ongoing efforts of the disaster recovery and emergency management communities in their endeavors, GVF facilitates contact with international satellite communications companies, and offers the following services:

Interactive Online Industry Directory: www.gvf.org
This free-to-use searchable database lists approximately 200 leading satellite communication systems and service companies offering terminals and subsystems, bandwidth, integration, legal services, etc. Company contact details are provided together with links to company web sites.

Competitive Bids & the GVF Executive Briefing
Parties interested in procurement of a satellite-based solution are constantly sending enquiries to GVF. In turn, we include these enquiries in the monthly electronic periodical – the GVF Executive Briefing – which is sent to the global satellite communications industry. Enquiries range from simple requests for information to highly detailed bid notices. The contact details of the enquiring party are included, facilitating direct industry responses which are made in full knowledge that competing companies are also making contact with the enquiring party, thus ensuring the provision of competitive pricing. (In cases where enquiring parties prefer not to reveal their identity, the GVF Secretariat can field industry responses and relay them directly to the enquiring party. Enquires may be sent to [email protected] or [email protected].

Emergency Notices
When disasters strike and advance planning proves to have been flawed, rapid response is required. GVF remains alert to receive urgent requests for satellite systems and services, and to post immediate notices to the global satellite industry. A wide range of humanitarian and aid organizations regularly avail themselves of this vital resource. Urgent requests should be sent to either of the email addresses given immediately above.