need KA-BAnd on deMAnd
despite the progress made in bringing satellite communications gear
in particular into the first wave of any large scale response effort,
more needs to be done. “there is no doubt that satellites have an
important role to play in emergency response and are a critical part of
the interoperability solution,” says Steven Jones, executive director of
the Washington, d.C.-based First responder Coalition. “truly effective
emergency response planning will, before a disaster occurs, incorporate the use of satellite technology. any plan that does not take into
account the critical backup role of satellite communications during a
disaster is a plan that puts the lives of first responders at risk.”
according to larry Flournoy, associate director at texas a&m
University’s academy for advanced telecommunications and distance
learning, the only truly long term solution in emergency medicine is
Ka-band satellite bandwidth on demand. “We feel this way because
we have been focusing on collecting trauma data with our field
ambulances and designing helicopter-based (satellite-enable communications) equipment,” says Flournoy. “When we will actually
get electronically steerable antennae and low earth orbit satellites
is a different question. [Ka-band satellite bandwidth on demand] is
the only solution that can be scaled and is economical for the mom-and-pop ambulance services as well as the city and county-based
services. i cannot imagine that this would be any different for other
first responders and emergency service personnel. While there are Ku-band services or buying clubs which help mitigate the economic and
sustainability issues with Ku-band, satellite communications is still the
most difficult of the communications solutions to sell to boards and
cost-conscious administrators,”
Flournoy and the team at texas a&m which has been developing disaster relief and emergency medical Services see ordinary
ambulance runs every day in rural texas which would immediately
benefit from a satellite connection for medical data and emergency
personnel support from the trauma center. Flournoy reports a growing interest in the emergency medical and mass trauma support
dimension of satellite technology spanning organizations of all
sizes, ranging from local and county emergency service groups in
texas to army telemedicine and advanced technology research
Center at Fort Gordon.
stAtes Better prepAred
What stands out is the fact that the states like texas are better pre-
pared for man-made and natural disasters. many have invested lots
of time and money in upgrading their emergency communications
networks and more often than not, satellite is present
the pennsylvania emergency management agency (pema) is under
a legislative mandate to provide an integrated communications capa-
bility designed to provide statewide warning and weather advisories,
river forecasts, and direction and control of all emergency prepared-
ness functions within the commonwealth. “Satellite-based systems
are the ideal solution to fill our legislative requirement. We are pro-
gressive and moving ahead with the latest technology to protect and
provide the best solution possible in our efforts to protect the citizens
of the Commonwealth,” says a pema spokeswoman.
the agency is in the process of replacing its existing Ku-band
terminals with Hughes model d W-7700 Ku-band systems. Hughes
network Systems Ku-band systems. the d W-7700 platforms will be
used for voice and data communications in all 67 counties and at
the state’s emergency operations center, three satellite uplink trucks,
and pema area offices — a total of 108 sites statewide. all county
emergency operations centers and 911 centers have the systems well.
