.: Post Katrina Communications
Category:Home / Technology / GPS
Did you know that... that the Communications confusion which followed Hurricane Katrina was avoidable? It wasn't a matter of FEMA or drowned buses.
The facts may surprise you. Available Technology was unused and virtually un-mentioned by 'The Mainstream Press'. You didn't hear a word about a simple solution available from the beginning.
An assumption was made as Katrina ground into the Gulf Coast like a chain saw, that 'it wouldn't be that bad'.
Without the devastation soon to follow at New Orleans, the situation in Mississippi and Alabama deteriorated to a disaster of Biblical proportions swiftly. This debacle was not even reported to much of the outside world; outside local zones of devastation, because of the wind. Few if any realized that Cell phone and Radio towers, including many Amatuer (Ham) sites were unable to function.
The 'usual' method of communication after a devastating storm like Katrina, as illustrated after Hurricane Andrew, is Police and Fire mobile units, Amatuer Radio, and news crews as they make their way into the Disaster Areas.
After Andrew the South Florida Counties were so thoroughly pulverised that most assumed that their local few blocks had been the worst hit and help was on the way from areas of lesser damage. It was well after dawn on that Monday morning that it became obvious through helicopter reports, that an unprecedented disaster had occurred.
Some reports did get out over the airwaves. A few Amatuer Radio Operators and Police and Fire did report local damage. Again, none of these people had any idea how bad things really were. Many of the People and organizations these reports would normally have been aimed at were themselves in dire straits. Even Homestead Air Force Base was paralysed, later to be assesed unrecoverable as an Air Force Base.
Now let's return to the Gulf Coast on another Monday Morning thirteen years later. The storm surge pushed inland with the help of hurricane force winds, over 20 miles inland in some areas. While early evacuations saved countless lives along the gulf coast, nothing could protect the infrastructure of the towns, counties and states. Much of the highway systems were junked to the point that even the National Guard could not get all their Heavy equipment into the hardest hit areas to dig for Survivors. The Interstates were unusable for miles.
Satellite Phone GSM: Consider a scenario where at least the Civil Defense organizations, National Guard, FEMA, Police, Sherrifs and Fire Departments, especially 'First Responders', had at the ready Satelitte Phones. Consider this scenario further in that Disaster planning and training had gone before using a combination of Satellite phones and Mobile radios that could work without a repeater on a general shared frequency.
The stumbling blocks inherent in an massive emergency situation could have been recognised and surmounted much earlier after the worst of Katrina had passed. With Cell Phones down (what's new), and radio frequency sharing a virtual tower of babel there was minimal co-ordinated communications between those on the scene and those coming from the outside.
Something as simple as telling a National Guard Convoy that they 'couldn't get here from there', would have helped so much. Satellite Phone GSM
It helps no one to look back and find fault beyond learning from our mistakes. One conclusion on the Communications situation is that at a minimum Satellite Phones be standard equipment for Civil Defense Organizations . Cell Phones are fine for normal use, but they depend on intense local infrastructure including local power. There are batteries of course, depending on re-charge of course. Satellite Phones are now 'in the range of private use' and have the same features available in 'Cell Phones' of everyday use.
Satellite Phones have been around for a few years now. They are used in the Persian Gulf to great effect. It would be criminal after 'The Year of the Hurricane' Not to press for Satellite Phone Technology inclusion in ALL Disaster Planning. This is true from City level To State and Federal.
C. R. Ellsworth © copyright 2006 All Rights reserved World Wide
Article keywords: satellite phone GSM, GSM, satellite telephones, sat phone
Article Source: http://www.articles32.com
C. R. Ellsworth is retired and living in the 'Great North Woods'.
He's been involved in On-Line & Network Marketing since 2000.
Satellite Phone GSM
I Work 4 U
.: New GPS Articles
1). GPS Tracking System - Safety for Your Kids and Peace of Mind for You
Has your kid recently obtained a driving license? Now you are probably constantly worried if she or he is driving safely. And you also wonder where they go. There is a little piece of modern technology that can help parents who are worried about whereabouts of their children - it is called GPS tracking system.
2). GPS and Other Emergency Contact Devices
This article contains infomation about GPS and other emergency contact devices.
3). Satellite Phone Benefits and Information
Satellite telephones are the ultimate communication device when you need contact in a remote and secluded part of the earth. State-of-the-art modern technology has ensured that no matter where we are located we can connect to all parts of the World in a matter of seconds.
4). Erase "Lost" From Your Vocabulary, Get GPS
GPS is the new-age device that helps you, like some omnipresent being, know where you or your vehicle are every minute of the day and night.
5). Overview of Satellite Navigation Systems
Reading a map and trying to find out where on earth you are before realising you are well and truly lost may be a thing of the past. No longer do you have to be capable of reading a map thanks to satellite navigation systems.
6). Automotive Navigation System Making Driving Less Stressful
Driving has become a lot easier with the introduction of automotive navigation system. Now you do not have to worry while you drive because this system makes sure that you reach your desired destination without wandering aimlessly.
7). Consumer Reports on GPS: What the Experts Have to Say
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.: Top GPS Articles
1). Tracking Your Children With GPS
From the moment children are born their parents naturally worry about them. Are they hungry? Are they warm enough? Are they sick?
Soon parents face the surrounding dangers as toddlers start to crawl, walk and run. The hazards seem to be everywhere. As any parent knows, the concerns only become deeper seated as children get older. Safety is all a parent can think about - especially when their children are not with them.
2). GPS Handheld Mapping Devices - What Is The Difference?
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3). Using GPS for Fishing!
Some things you can do with GPS on your fishing trip include:
1. Patterning
2. Recording casting areas, scouted regions, and shoals
3. Plot exact coordinates of that 'perfect fishing spot' and go back whenever you'd like
4. Add your own journal, notes, and even digital pictures memorable locales
5. Create your own custom routes as well as maps
6. Use the GPS as a planner prior to voyaging off on the trip
7.
4). GPS Tracking--the Smart Way to Protect Your Child
Whether it is your vehicle or your child, there are GPS tracking devices that can help you keep track of or locate them anytime, anywhere. It is more dangerous today for your children than at any other time in history. So putting a small GPS tracking device on their person to keep track of them is not as silly as it might sound. Today’s GPS tracking devices no longer require a line of site to the sky in order to work.
5). Global Positioning System (GPS) : A Complete Review
The system of knowing one's exact position on this earth is known as the 'Global Positioning System'. Precise positioning of any location can easily be done with the help of this System. If anyone has a Global Positioning System receiver and if the sky remains clear then no one is going to be lost on this Earth. The receiver is a pocket-sized gadget that makes us inform about our exact position on this earth at any moment.
6). GPS: Applications And Uses
What are the uses for GPS? There are many, both for individuals, corporations, and the government.
Military
The military uses GPS technology to guide missiles, track and control forces and facilities, and more. GPS has allowed command and control of forces to greatly advance their effectiveness. Using GPS, units can report their exact location to command central, and easily find directions to other locations.
7). Do You Know Where Your Teen Is? You Do With Spy Matrix GPS
Spy Matrix GPS is the ultimate in car tracking technology. It is easy to use, easy to hide, and easy to follow. It is the perfect way for you to know where your car is now, and where you car was. Plus, this is a portable device, allowing you to transfer it to different cars at need. You can have peace of mind knowing where your car is it all times. And when you have teenagers, you can know where they have your car, thanks to the Spy Matrix GPS.