introduction to fema disaster emergency communications …emergency communications issues in the...

Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications Slide 1.1

Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications Slide 1.2


Question:

“what currently happens when first responders respond to a disaster and how does FEMA communicate information to aid in recovery”

Answer:

“first responders utilize disaster emergency communications to

coordinate and support disaster recovery efforts”

Discussion:

What? – When (History)? – How? – Who (Support)?


“The means and method of transmitting

and receiving voice, data, and video

messages, information, and images critical

to the successful management of an

incident. DEC is achieved through the use

of fixed and mobile communications

resources operated in a manner consistent

with public safety practices.”


- Support effective tactical interoperable voice, video and data communications

for emergency response teams

- Identify mission-critical disaster emergency communications capabilities,

requirements, solution and mitigation strategies

- Develop an effective command and control communications framework for

the Regional Administrator

- Promote communications interoperability with State and local response

organizations through Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating

Working Groups (RECCWGs)

- Overall: Support the ability of public safety entities to operate, to interoperate

with other organizations and jurisdictions and to continue operations when

their primary infrastructure is damaged or destroyed


Operability—The ability of emergency responders to establish and sustain

communications in support of mission operations.

Interoperability—The ability of emergency responders to communicate among

jurisdictions, disciplines, and levels of government, using a variety of frequency

bands, as needed and as authorized. System operability is required for system

interoperability.

Continuity of Communications—The ability of emergency response agencies to

maintain communications in the event of damage to or destruction of the

primary infrastructure.

Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications

Disaster Emergency Communications (DEC) is a specialized

field within the broader field of Emergency Communications.

Slide 1.7

Emergency Communications allow

public safety agencies to perform

everyday operable and interoperable

communications.

Presidentially-declared

emergencies and disasters

DEC delivers operable and interoperable communications before, during, and after:

Planned National Special

Security Events

Direct Federal

Assistance


“local Communications . . . destroyed.”

- Crippled thirty-eight 911 call centers.

- Knocked out more than 3 million customer phone lines in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

- 50% of area radio stations and 44% of area television stations went off the air.

- 1,477 cell towers were incapacitated.

- The complete devastation of the communications infrastructure left responders without a reliable network . . . Local emergency response officials found it difficult or impossible to establish functioning incident command structures. . . .

o The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned

Slide 1.9


–“the communications problems had a debilitating effect on response . . . Officials from national leaders to emergency responders on the ground lacked the level of situational awareness necessary for a prompt and effective response.”

– “Many available communications assets were not utilized fully because there was no national, State-wide, or regional communications plan to incorporate them.”

└ The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned

Slide 1.10


“Ensure situational awareness by establishing rapid

deployable communications [and] instituting a structure

for consolidated Federal operational reporting. . . .”

“To restore operability and achieve interoperability,

there is a strong need for rapidly deployable,

interoperable, commercial, off-the-shelf equipment that

can provide a framework for connectivity among Federal,

State, and local authorities . . . This transformational

capability should ensure decision makers at all levels of

government have accurate and complete data to assess

courses of action.”

Slide 1.11


DEC can provide:

Mobile

Disaster Recovery Centers

Wired and Wireless

Public Internet (limited area)

Charging Stations


In addition to services provided to First

Responders, DEC can provide:

Temporary Facility Communications

Support

Temporary Mobile Office Space with Full

Communications Suite

Live Video Feed

Introduction to FEMA Disaster Emergency Communications

Message Disseminators

Emergency Managers IPAWS compliant CAP Alert Origination Tools

State

Emergency Alert System

Commercial Mobile Alert System

Federal

Local

State / Local Unique Alerting Systems (e.g. ETN, Siren, Signage systems)

Internet Services

FEMA IPAWS

NOAA

Public

IP access networks

IP distribution networks

Digital EAS PBS AM FM Satellite Radio; Digital Analog Cable Satellite TV

Cellular Phones

Web Browsers, widgets, web sites

message aggregation, authentication, adaption

Cellular Carriers Networks

Slide 1.15

http://www.adaptivedisplays.com/Transportation/ITS/Default.asp


Handheld Devices to

Augment Teams (if requested)

DEC can provide:

Mobile Communications

Support

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Temporary

Restoration or

Augmentation of

Land Mobile Radio

Radios and

Satellite Devices (short duration)

Technical

Assistance

DEC can provide:


DEC, through MERS, provides:

Satellite Capability to

Support Voice, Data, and

Videoconferencing for

at least 30 personnel

Portable Radio Repeaters

and Connection to the

National Response Network

Technical Assistance

Handheld Devices to

Augment Teams (if requested)


DEC can provide:

Live Video Feed

Temporary Fixed Facility

Communications Support

Connection to the

National Response

Network

Radio Frequency

Coordination


DEC:

Ensures:

- Voice, data and video services to establish incident operability – ability for

incident responders to do their day-to-day disaster jobs

- Interoperability among responding agencies and jurisdictions

- Temporary restoration of damaged or destroyed communications systems

- Augmentation of existing communications networks and systems

Provides:

- Radios for 1st responders

- Internet and telephone support for command centers

- Mobile meeting facilities and temporary public communications support

- Technology that enables public warning over common communications modes

Supports:

- State, other federal agencies, tribes, cities, towns emergency response efforts


David W. Benoit

Regional Disaster Emergency Communications Coordinator

Disaster Response Division

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

FEMA Region IX

1111 Broadway, Suite 1200

Oakland, CA 94607

510-627-7268 – Office

510-289-0116 – Mobile

510-627-7231 – Fax

[email protected]


- Support the coordination of resources, expertise and staffing for

activities and roles in the Region/RECCWGs

- Lead State and Regional emergency communications plans

development and provide technical expertise on existing and emerging

emergency communications technologies

- Serves as primary advisor to the RA on emergency communications

- Supports the administration of the RECCWGs building key relationships

between Federal, State, local, Tribal, and private sector partners

- Coordinates/participates in National, regional, cross-regional, State,

and local conferences and communications exercises

- Supports IMATs and ESF #2 during response, leveraging RECCWG and

stakeholder relationships

- During response, provides staffing to the RRCC and coordinates

with/leads resources within the DEC Branch

Slide 1.23


The Department of the Homeland Security Act of 2007, Title XVIII Section 1805 (Pub.L. 109-295) established the RECCWGs

RECCWGs are planning and coordinating bodies responsible for providing a forum to assess and address the survivability, sustainability, operability, and interoperability of emergency communications at all levels

RECCWGs serve as a single coordination point for emergency communications at the regional level

RECCWGs are regionally focused and are expected to have unique membership dependent on regional government structure and processes

Membership includes Federal, State, local, and Tribal representatives from emergency response organizations

FEMA has principle responsibility to help establish and support the RECCWGs, but the focus and direction of the RECCWGs is determined by the RECCWG members

Slide 1.24


- FEMA Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) provide mobile and tactical

communications capabilities to support State and local agencies requesting

emergency communications support

- FEMA Regional Emergency Communications (REC) Coordinators report to the RA on

emergency communications issues in the Region, establish relationships with State

and local emergency responders, and coordinate disaster emergency communications

capabilities and requirements during a response

- RECCWGs serve as a coordination point for Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies

at the regional level on emergency communications-related matters

- FEMA State Emergency Communications Plans describe the primary and backup

communications systems used by Federal, State, local, and Tribal entities and identify

resources that States may request during a catastrophic event

DEC integrates with State and local agencies through the Region to provide emergency communications assistance throughout all phases of an incident

Slide 1.25


- Deploys, installs, and operates communications equipment in support of Federal,

State, and local agencies

- Provides tactical communications equipment to enable incident command and control

and ensure safe and effective response and recovery operations and situational

awareness

- Serves as a national asset and deploys response teams and equipment from six

geographically dispersed Detachments throughout the country (Bothell, WA; Denton,

TX; Denver, CO; Frederick, MD; Maynard, MA; and Thomasville, GA)

- Participates in various FEMA Regions activities including—

• RECCWG meetings

• State emergency communications planning efforts

• Regional communications exercises

MERS provides operations, communications, and logistics assets in response to Presidentially declared emergencies and disasters, as well as planned National Special Security Events

Slide 1.26


- MERS detachments provide a wide range of support

that include the following capabilities:

• Land Mobile Radio (LMR) support (VHF, UHF, 800 MHz)

• Portable radios and repeaters

• Satellite communications

• Line of sight (LOS) microwave units

• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Radio over IP (RoIP)

• Secure communications equipment, fax, and video teleconference

• Power, water, fuel, and life support

• Communications technicians to maintain and operate the

equipment

- Services include:

• Temporary communications infrastructure support

• Backup Emergency Operations Center and dispatching capabilities

• Public alert and warning

• Backhaul connectivity

• Sheltering and facility communications

Slide 1.27


THOMASVILLE, GA DENTON, TX

BOTHELL, WA

DENVER, CO MAYNARD, MA

FREDERICK, MD

Slide 1.28


• On-Call (Ku-band) satellite • Phone /data /video support • HF/ VHF/ MSAT • VHF radio repeater • Telescoping radio and TV mast and antennas.

Slide 1.29


The IRV as a stand-alone operations support or remote monitoring below.

A portable tower and repeater supports LMR (UHF/VHF) operations above.

Slide 1.30


MEOV as forward area operations support platform

Slide 1.31


Ku-band satellite

HF/ VHF/ UHF/ AMSAT

Repeater and Cross Patch

LOS Microwave

Landline connections

Slide 1.32

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