Telecommunications are indispensable tools for the operational emergency management. The speed of response and, most of all, the appropriateness of such response, depend on the real-time exchange of information among a multitude of partners. Reliable Telecommunications are also a prerequisite for the safety and security of those who often risk their own life in their efforts to save lives and to alleviate the suffering caused by disasters. Last but not least, success in mobilizing of resources depends to a large degree on the quality of reporting from the site of an event.

For the purpose of this Handbook on Emergency Telecommunications, a public network refers to that which ordinary citizens have access to. This is important to recognize because in the event of a disaster the public will tend to initiate calls to the country hit by a disaster and from that country to other countries where loved ones are located resulting in the overload of the Telecommunications network.

The Internet increasingly provides support for major operations and functions of organizations, including those with significant distances between headquarters and field offices. For governmental disaster workers, access to the Internet permits continuous updates of disaster information, accounts of human and material resources available for response, and state-of-the-art technical advice. As an important feature, messages can also be disseminated to groups of pre-selected recipients, thus allowing some form of targeted broadcasts.

The term “private network” is used here to describe communications facilities available to specialized users like fire brigades, police, ambulances, utilities, emergency teams, civil protection, transport, government, ministries, and defence. These networks can also be used by business, corporate, and industry users. The network is usually owned by the private users themselves who can share it eventually in a multi – organizational environment. The users usually manage their private network, in some cases an operator can do it for his private customers.

Among the Radio Services defined in the Radio Regulations (RR), and regulated by this international treaty governing all aspects of radio communication, the Amateur Radio Service (RR S1.56, Geneva 1998) is the most flexible one. Using modes from Morse code and voice to television and to most advanced data modes, communicating in allocated frequency bands ranging from 136 kHz (longwave) throughout the HF (shortwave), VHF and UHF all the way into the GHz range, Amateur radio was throughout its history and still is today at the forefront of technology. Amateur radio operators form a global (long range) network, but they are equally at home when it comes to local (short range) or even satellite communications. Most of all, however, they acquire their skills because of their personal interest in the subject of radio communications, and they are the experts in achieving extraordinary results with whatever limited resources available.

Broadcast (Radio and TV) is a very powerful means to reach large sections of the public with information and advice. National regulations and customs differ from place to place as to how information is given to the public.

This segment summarizes what have emerged as new ways of managing information in times disasters or impending disasters.