Haiti Earthquake: Telecoms Sans Frontieres Emergency Response Presentation to the U.S. Department of State July 9, 2010 By Adele Waugaman, Senior Director United Nations Foundation & Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership
Communications in Humanitarian Crises United Nations Foundation & Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership leverages wireless technologies to strengthen humanitarian work through Emergency Communications for Disaster Relief Mobile Health for Development Emergency Communications for Disaster Relief program funds Telecoms Sans Frontieres Regional offices and staff Rapid deployments to support UN agencies and provide communications services directly to affected populations
Telecoms In Emergency Response Telecom a necessity, not a luxury Logistics Security Telecom failures undermine response Major switches/routers often damaged Cell towers may survive, but suffer from overload and dependence on damaged wired infrastructure for backhaul Existing networks not optimized for needed services Significant increase in mobile phone traffic needs to be served First responders need access to data services Installation of UNICEF VSAT
About TSF CORE SERVICES Rapid response telecommunications centers Civilian calling program Long-term emergencies Missions in 55+ countries Since 1998 Support to 550+ humanitarian organisations Service to hundreds of thousands of victims Annual deployment in the field: 325 days Every major event: Afghanistan, Iraq, Tsunami, Darfur, Pakistan, Haiti...
Haiti Quake: TSF Arrives Within 24 Hrs January 13 th : 1 st TSF team arrives from Nicaragua January 15th: 2 nd TSF team arrives from France
TSF Telecoms Assessment Results of the earthquake: Technical buildings damaged (Digicel) Antennas, or hosting buildings, damaged No electricity Telecommunication situation: GSM antenna damaged in Carrefour Poor GSM connectivity (Digicel down, Voila and Haitel saturated) SMS worked but uncertain reliability Data connectivity available with the MINUSTAH at the LogBase Problems with local ISP (6 days for the President to get internet locally)
Rapid Response Telecoms Center Highlights Assist the Haitian government 13th: IT support to President, PM, Ministers, Civil Prot. 14th: Provision of a sat phone for the Prime Minister + training 15th: Installation of a BGAN connection for the government Provide telecoms support for aid groups 13th, Airport: SatPhone + IT Support 14th: Opening of data + voice connection (BGAN) + IT Support for USAR Coordination Center (25 users/days) UNDAC, Bomberos Espana, MapAction 14/01: Coordination Center at the USAR camp Assist UN agencies 13th: Support UN country offices at the MINUSTAH base 17 th : Agreement w/voila for free GSM phones to OCHA 19 th : MINUSTAH: Installation of a VSAT to provide dedicated bandwidth to OCHA, UNICEF, ECHO 15/01: OPS Room at the LogBase (OCHA, WFP, UNDP, IOM, FAO, NGOs)
Rapid Response Telecoms Center Outcomes ICT services to over 100 humanitarian organizations Direct support to 1,360 relief workers (average of 180 users a day) 218 GO high speed data transmission consumption Setting up the 2,4m VSAT at the MINUSTAH log base Connecting the USAR camp at the airport to the benefit of rescue workers
Civilian Calling Operations 5 TSF teams in the field 77 survivors camps served 10,586 free calls 40,000+ minutes of calls 60,000 beneficiaries Beneficiaries > 2500 1000-2000 100-1000 < 100
TSF Beneficiaries After Jan 2010 Quake Beneficiaries > 2500 1000-2000 100-1000 < 100
Thank you TSF Annual Supporters
Find us online: www.tsfi.org www.unfoundation.org/vodafone
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Télécoms Sans Frontières TECHNOLOGY Communications for life Flexible Equipment Inmarsat BGan Phone, Fax, Broadband Internet Iridium Thuraya Eutelsat VSAT Broadband Internet Mini M Phone, Fax, Low Speed Internet
Télécoms Sans Frontières TECHNOLOGY Communications for life
Télécoms Sans Frontières EMERGENCIES Providing ICT services in crisis Number of emergency missions per year 1 3 6 8 6 5 8 9 9 11 13 14 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009