RE: CRIME FW: Wireless Communications during disaster?

From: Carter Ames (carter@private)
Date: Fri Jun 06 2003 - 11:04:40 PDT

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    This is where Amateur radio comes in.  "One of the
    basic tenets of Amateur Radio is to provide a pool of
    experienced communicators during emergencies." 
    
    If anyone is interested in knowing more information,
    you can visit the ARRL website: http://www.arrl.org
    
    Also, The ARRL will offer a free Amateur Radio
    Emergency Communications course (ARECC) seminar
    Friday, June 13, in conjunction with the ARRL
    Northwest Division Convention, SeaPac, in Seaside,
    Oregon.
    
    See: http://www.seapac.org/
    
    
    
    --- "Dorning, Kevin E - DI-3" <kedorning@private>
    wrote:
    > In past emergency's where Cell phones were a primary
    > means of communications, there were considerable
    > problems in getting essential messages through.  I
    > know that a friend at one of the local utilities
    > told me that during the 95/06 floods and storm
    > season, they sometimes had crews waiting up to 4
    > hours after completing an emergency repair, for
    > their next assignment.  This was because they relied
    > on Cell's for communications, and the cell circuits
    > were jammed because of outages on the surface phone
    > lines.  It is also a phenomenon that whenever there
    > is a disaster/emergency of any magnitude in a
    > geographical area, the phone systems are maxed
    > almost immediately with family contact calls.
    > Some of us have Government Emergency Telephone Cards
    > (GETS) that allow us to break in to the phone system
    > for emergency communications,  However, I don't
    > think that the cards cover cell communications at
    > this time.
    > 
    > An additional problem with wireless communications
    > is that they rely on fixed broadcast and repeater
    > sites, which, in a major earthquake situation may
    > not be fixed any longer.
    > 
    > For real emergency communications, most people are
    > going to Sattelite phones, but this is a very
    > expensive service to maintian just for emergency
    > use.
    > 
    > K.d>  
    > 
    > Kevin E. Dorning
    > Chief Information Security Officer
    > Office of the CIO  DI-3
    > Bonneville Power Administration - USDOE
    > 503-230-3082
    > 
    > 
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: George Heuston
    > [mailto:GeorgeH@private]
    > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 9:17 AM
    > To: crime@private
    > Subject: CRIME FW: Wireless Communications during
    > disaster?
    > 
    > 
    > Forwarded at Rich's request (he's doing the Rose
    > Festival gig, and not
    > at a terminal today)...
    > 
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Goerling, Richard J. LT (TAD to CGIC Portland)
    > [mailto:RIGoerling@private] 
    > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 8:55 AM
    > To: George Heuston
    > Subject: Wireless Communications during disaster?
    > 
    > I'd like to get some input from those of you who
    > have expertise in
    > wireless communications.  I know these are rather
    > expansive questions,
    > and the issues related to them, security and
    > otherwise, are myriad.
    > However, the basics are what I'm after:
    > 
    > --What are the weaknesses of relying on cell phones,
    > during post-natural
    > disaster or man-made disaster, for a public safety
    > agency's
    > communications (Coast Guard in this case)?  
    > 
    > --Are other wireless forms of comms more reliable
    > than cell phones?  
    > 
    > As a part of a broad-based Port Security Plan
    > covering the Oregon,
    > Idaho, Southern Washington region. We are looking at
    > what comms options
    > we should consider as a contingency for a
    > disaster... any input would be
    > appreciated.  
    > 
    > Regards, 
    > 
    > Rich 
    > 
    > Richard Goerling
    > U.S. Coast Guard MSO/Group Portland
    > 6767 N. Basin Avenue
    > Portland, OR 97217
    > (503) 247-4018 office
    > (503) 240-9302 fax
    > (503) 849-2026 cell 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    



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