No abstract

No abstract

SUMMARYIn this paper, we describe how satellite communications may contribute to disaster management. During emergency situations, satellite communications present many advantages in supporting or replacing a terrestrial infrastructure (if any) subject to destruction or saturation. However, devising the right deployment model deserves close scrutiny in order to fit the responders' needs and sustain financial viability. After reading the paper, we expect that the answers to the following questions will be made clear: what are the roles of telecommunications in emergency situations? How can satellite technologies help? How to mitigate the cost of deploying and using satellite facilities? Who are the actors currently involved in emergency telecommunications and more specifically satellite-assisted emergency telecommunications? Copyright r 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.KEY WORDS: disaster management; satellite communications 1. OBJECTIVES AND TARGET AUDIENCE Addressing emergency telecommunication systems without taking into account actual emergency field practice is likely to miss the objective. Therefore, Section 2 starts by defining what is understood by emergency situations and what are the key guidelines for deploying emergency telecommunication. In Section 3, we detail the roles of emergency telecommunication. The challenges and stakes impacting the deployment of these telecommunication infrastructures are described in Section 4. In Section 5, the role of satellite communications is extensively discussed, pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of this technology. The institutions and projects currently active are described in Section 6 with a focus on Europe where there is a rising will to set up a European co-ordinated civil protection effort. Section 7 addresses the issue of financial feasibility and identifies several paths to it. Section 8 lists what are the future directions of R&D on satellite communications for emergency. Finally, Section 9 concludes by providing a list of what we shall name flawed popular wisdom. This paper has been contributed both by experts from satellite communications and from emergency operations, therefore ensuring a representative coverage of the subject. We expect it

No abstract

No abstract