By Andrew Aroh

Nigeria is preparing to cope with a wide range of threats by terrorists, as well as manmade or natural disasters.

• Now, more that ever Satellite technology is an important element in the nation’s domestic security and its various emergency response systems.

• 

  Andrew Aroh

• Our reference case is the United States of America that have emergency communications coordinators In several states, as well as officials in both the office of National Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) – the equivalent of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
• Satellite is a key component of FEMA’s comprehensive consequent management strategy.
• The following offices are vital for a broader implementation of satellite solutions:
  1. Office of National preparedness
  2. Preparedness and response bureau
  3. Systems Engineering division
  4. Communications and warning
• When everything is collapsed or fragmented on the scene, Satellite can quickly rise to the occasion, reinforcing and enhancing any incident command structure. FEMA and NEMA know this for years, as they are big users of Satellite as it should be.
• For example, when the circuits at FEMA’s regional office in New York City were knocked out on September 11 2001, FEMA immediately activated it’s Ku-band and MSAT Satellite systems. They were able to get that office up and running just in time.
• FEMA has a fleet of large truck trailers known as the Mobile Airborne Transportable Telecom Systems (MATTS) as well as smaller Mobile Emergency Response Systems (MERS). Both are VSAT-equipped.
• FEMA also routinely uses handheld devices linked to Orbcomm (Little LEO) in order to update assignments for FEMA personnel in the field.
• Recently, FEMA has started tapping on lower cost Ka-band terminals for a variety of purposes.
• Given what Satellite can do in times of dire need, several large states have sophisticated Satellite infrastructure at their disposal.
• At the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM), the Emergency Satellite communications system (ESATCOM) consists of 109 remote terminals statewide for high-speed data, voice, internet access and e-mail between the Emergency/Operations center and any remote site.
• Remote terminals are available in several mobile command posts and on three dedicated trailers to permit communications directly from affected areas.
• Any remote site can contact the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC), via voice or a special e-mail system, to:
  • Request assistance
  • Provide emergency information
  • Offer emergency assistance
• Remote sites ac access the communications and warning Division’s database on any entry to:
  • Originate
  • Edit
  • Review
  • Conduct status checks
• Any remote site can participate in a one-way video broadcast or two-way video conference, and can access up to 48 telephone lines if their local system has failed.
• ESATCOM is used not only in day-to-day operations. It also serves as a backbone to activate any or all of the state’s radio and television stations with emergency information.
• The Emergency operations center (EOC) also processes severe weather information from NOAA/NWS Satellites, and from private firms for analysis and evaluation.
• All weather watch and warning conditions are relayed to the appropriate counties via Satellite.
• In California, the Governor Office of Emergency Services (OES) has access to 68 remote sites, two hubs and five transportable known as Operational area Satellite Information System (OASIS) trailers, as well as additional three trailers as a spare for the Telecommunications section.
• The biggest challenge so far is getting people so familiar with the satellite network that using it becomes second nature.
• Like any technology, if you have been trained to use it, but never needed to, you are less likely to remember how, especially in an emergency when tensions are high.
• OES provides the public with emergency information via an Emergency Digital Information Services(EDIS).
• OASIS serves as its backbone delivery system to all counties (local governments) in California.
• OES uses 1.2meter VSATs so that local emergency managers can direct emergency newswire feeds to local broadcasters.
• The EDIS bulletins are a supplement to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in California.
• In addition to the OASIS, OES uses the mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) Sat phones for all it’s field coordinators.
• The Sat phones affords them the flexibility to communicate anywhere in North America back to the State warning center sacrament to using either the custom talk group on PTT(push to talk) or cellular like telephone. Pennsylvania is yet another State where Satellite plays a key role.
• For example, with an uplink vehicle, a phone flying overhead can feed live video down to the truck, which can then uplink that same signal via Satellite back directly to the governor of Pennsylvania and his emergency management team faraway
• As for the 40-plus federal agencies that come under the oversight umbrella of the office of National Security the list of Satellite assets is enormous. These includes:
  • The domestic Satellite resources of the Defense Department (DOD) via the Defense Information System Agency (DISA).
  • Assets now in place under the formed Northern command.
• At the State level, there are:
  • Civilian support teams (CSTs) which are now in all the states
  • Various Army National Guard Units
  • Combat Communications squadrons in the Air National Guard
  • Others
• They all have considerable Satellite resources at their disposal including:
  • UHF SATCOM (TAC-SAT/UNET)
  • Ground Mobile Forces Satellite Radio, which can provide both secure and open phone links as well as access to NIPRNET (open internet) and SIPRNET (secure internet).
  • Multiple radio band and combat net radio interfaces.
• How exactly these military units will mesh with their civilian counterparts, as well as how the different civilian agencies will mesh together in a seamless fashion need to be resolved.
• Interoperability is a key issue we need to look at this deeply. It is clear that we want to fix it fast within the local environment, starting with local police, fire department as well as flood division.

OBSERVATIONS

• So far, we have not seen a large value adds for some sort of single homogenous network. This should integrate local decision-makers.
• Because the National Security block grants to State have few strings attached, it is possible that States might use the funds to purchase Satellite equipment under the directive of NEMA
• Where exactly is the office of National Security heading when it comes to communications oversight and any coordination of Satellite communications? This remains to be seen.
• The coming budget signals that the government wants NEMA to quickly streamline and simplify any and all resources acquisition procedures for the States.
• Making interoperable Communication gear available – including Satellite gear – need to be a high priority.
• Limited state budgets in many instance simply do not allow for any widespread implementation of Satellite technology.
• So, will the threat of terrorist attack and recent signs of natural disasters in the country alter this situation?
• Will an office of Emergency Satellite Communication be created?
• Or will the existing set of plans overseen as part of the National Communication System (NCS) suffice?
• If the president’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory committee is formulating anything resembling a Satellite specific agenda, we have yet to detect it.
• A lot of arrows are pointing in the direction of a more integrated approach to emergency satcom.
• Avoiding any unnecessary and burdensome expansion of infrastructure is a priority as well.
• The real objective is meeting the critical communications needs of the end users, weather we are talking about:
  • First responders
  • Emergency management coordinators
  • The general public
• Emergency Satcom is not an exotic solution. It should be available for instantaneous use in every state.
• Commercial space capabilities are increasingly important to the ability of Nigeria to achieve its national security objectives.
• Consequently, fostering commercial space will shift from a secondary consideration concerned with the economic health of the nation, to a necessary strategy for achieving military and intelligence mission objectives.
• This will lead to new programs and policies aimed at ensuring commercial capabilities are available in the future for emergency/military operations as required.

Andrew Aroh is President SSPI Nigeria