EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ITU HELPS EARTHQUAKE-STRICKEN HAITI

Expressing profound sympathy to the Government and people of Haiti, ITU Secretary- General Hamadoun I. Touré said: “Our hearts go out to the families of those who have been killed or injured and those left homeless following the powerful earthquake.” Dr. Touré added that “ITU will do everything possible to provide assistance to the people of Haiti by re-establishing telecommunication links, which will be vital in the rescue and rehabilitation efforts.” He immediately launched an appeal to ITU Member States and over 700 private-sector members to assist Haiti in these efforts. The challenge of rebuilding Haiti is huge. Figures announced by the Haitian government on 3 February 2010 estimate that the earthquake killed more than 200,000 people, injured 300,000 and displaced 1.9 million.

Restoring communications via satellite
Emergency telecommunications is a top priority for ITU, which is implementing programmes aimed at helping its Member States prepare, respond and rebuild when disasters destroy networks. This is a critical area of concern, especially for least developed countries such as Haiti, which have fragile economies and special needs. In the immediate aftermath of disasters, ITU sends equipment to assist affected countries, allowing basic telecommunications to be provided via satellite, as well as such services as telemedicine.

In the case of Haiti, ITU first deployed forty satellite terminals which were flown by FedEx to the Dominican Republic free of charge, and then by United Nations cargo planes to Port-au-Prince. A few days later, ITU sent sixty additional units with broadband capabilities, along with a team of engineers. ITU and its partners have also set up a Qualcomm Deployable Base Station. This is a complete system that provides a highspeed mobile network able to cope with data-rich applications such as telemedicine, as well as voice calls.

At the time of writing this article (8 February 2010), ITU was in the process of setting up wireless systems based on Wi-Fi and WiMAX technologies in over a hundred hot spots around the disaster zone in Haiti. These systems will enable computer users to make a wireless connection to the Internet. More satellite terminals were also being dispatched to Haiti, and they will be installed on motor vehicles.

Satellite communications can make a real difference during the first crucial hours and days after a disaster. They are employed to assess the extent of damage, help locate survivors, measure the potential danger for rescue teams and ensure that humanitarian response crews can communicate effectively with their team members, other agencies, local hospitals and paramedics.

In Haiti, ITU’s terminals are providing vital links via satellite. Public call centres have also been set up using these terminals to provide essential information to families and friends searching for their loved ones. In addition to equipment, ITU has allocated more than USD 1 million to reinforce the disaster response effort in Haiti.

Framework for cooperation
The rapid deployment of equipment to Haiti was made possible under the ITU Framework for Cooperation in Emergencies (IFCE). Launched in December 2007, IFCE is a worldwide programme designed to make telecommunication resources available for use by government agencies responsible for disaster relief, by humanitarian personnel, and by victims of disasters.

“We have received a good response, following the Secretary-General’s appeal, and we are channelling this aid to Haiti,” said Cosmas Zavazava, Head of ITU’s Emergency Telecommunications Division. “Our partners have also contributed laptop computers and one company is reorienting its satellites to beam directly onto the island so that it has all the bandwidth needed to communicate.”

Long-term plans

Before the earthquake, about 35 per cent of Haiti’s 9 million people had mobile phones, and 11 per cent had Internet access. ITU is working with the Government of Haiti and telecommunication operators not only to restore services, but also to build a stateof- the-art network which will enable the country to develop its shattered economy.

ITU will send an assessment team to Haiti to determine the magnitude of damage to the telecommunication infrastructure, using geographical information systems. Based on the team’s findings, ITU will work with Haitian authorities to understand their longer-term recovery needs and plan reconstruction, ensuring that disaster-resistant features are integrated into the network to reduce vulnerability if any future catastrophe strikes.

The Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid said “ITU stands ready to provide expertise in carrying out damage assessments, aimed at paving the way for the rehabilitation of the damaged telecommunication infrastructure.” Mr. Al Morshid added that natural disasters are striking all too often and affecting the lives of millions of people. “The earthquake in Haiti has caused untold human suffering. ITU will do all it can to help improve the living conditions of the people of Haiti, who have shown extraordinary courage in the face of this terrible tragedy. Their strength is humbling,” Mr. Al Morshid noted.

Speaking from Port-au-Prince, Mr. Zavazava commented: “It is heartbreaking to witness this kind of human misery. With climate change, the threat of disasters is increasing. As a technical organization, ITU will double its efforts to help countries such as Haiti to set up early warning systems and make their telecommunication networks more robust.”