Communication to Mitigate Disasters - Research Paper Example

Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes and the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United s. This left about 1200 people dead – some in the flooded neighborhood and some while awaiting evacuation. None of the major decision-makers – the city, state or federal governments –were prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude which left $34 billion in damage alone in insured property (Mishra, 2006). In addition to loss and damages to property, that state tax revenue loss was phenomenal. The financial and property damages could have been much less had the communication system been in place. Both man-made and natural disasters have communication challenges that match the magnitude of the crisis. Manoj and Baker (2007) observe that the most frequently cited reason is the lack of radio interoperability. All organizations at this juncture have to work in cohesion rather than work individually with radios set to orthogonal frequencies, which renders interagency communications extremely difficult. As more local, state and federal agencies get involved, the problem compounds. The communication challenges in emergencies and disasters go beyond the interoperability. Three categories of challenges arise – technological, sociological and organizational. These are the three key areas that help to develop and maintain healthy and effective disaster communication system. The technological challenge is the rapid deployment of communication systems by the first responders and the disaster management group. Either the communications network (including telephones, wireless lines, power) is completely destroyed or because of remote geographical area, they are non-existent even before the disaster (Manoj & Baker, 2007). Developing a new system where the old system has been destroyed is more challenging than setting up a new system where it did not exist. People prefer to depend on their old system and moreover, the old system may cause disturbance in setting up a new system. The magnitude of the storm was such that over 180 central office locations were running on generators as commercial power sources failed; about 100 commercial radio stations had to go off the air (Miller, n.d.). Up to 2000 cell towers were knocked down and Land Mobile communications were degraded. The devastation of communications disturbed the rescue efforts, emergency repairs and reconstruction (Bergeron, 2006). Katrina took down more than 3 million land line phones, numerous switching centers, 911 facilities, and destroyed as many as 2,000 cellular towers (Dizard, 2005). The rescue agencies could not locate the survivors. The only mode of communication was the cries of help from survivors. Then the rescue team had to search door-to-door to look for survivors. The problem was compounded because the communication system used by majority of the US cities is based on the architecture designed by Motorola many decades earlier (Banipal, 2006). Even though some upgradation had been done to the system, the major flaw occurred as the rescue team could not determine the location of other teams in the area which led to break in communication and rescue efforts. Mobile data computer (MDC) in the emergency vehicle is connected to the computer aided dispatch system in the control system. Only after the dispatcher identifies the units responding to the emergency, do they know the presence of others in the same area. Everyone realizes that high quality communications are a must for disaster relief effort. The telephone and data lines are needed most during disaster and that is the time invariably they are down. Wireless communications become very important for disasters of such magnitude. Many wireless customers from the disaster areas were disconnected from the services because of non-payment of bills (Weaver, 2005). At the request of the emergency personnel on the ground the services to all were restored. The carriers extended grace-period for disaster-area customers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was working with the carriers to restore the lines affected. Many employees that experienced property loss and personal damages also contributed selflessly towards restoration of lines and connections. However, this disaster was an eye opener as the authorities realized that they have to work together to improve the reliability, survivability and security of the nation’s telecommunications network. Most of the communications industry in the area suffered massive damages and such damages impact the rescue operations of emergency responders. The FCC also waived certain slamming rules that made it easier for customers to switch providers. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. deployed 400 Personal Internet Communicators (PIC) to assist Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio (Business Wire, 2005). This was done on the 7th September, almost a fortnight after the Hurricane formed. With this facility evacuees could immediately start connecting with their family and friends. People also used this to seek help from relief agencies, scour Internet resources and solve many other communications challenges. Technology was used as an important tool to aid humanity. Apart from restoring or not disconnecting telephone connections, the FCC also ensured that the wireless and wire line operators must have backup power sources for telecom facilities (Silva, 2007). The social challenges also arise within and between ephemeral groups. The communication system design must incorporate an understanding of human activity and communication behavior models. The first problem arises when people find it difficult to trust in unfamiliar settings (Manoj & Baker, 2007). Thus, sharing and dissemination of information becomes critical and problematic. Even if trust is established, security issues still lurk. Another issue is handling the victim population that is emotionally volatile at this time. They are gripped with fear and stress basically because of lack of information reaching them. This heightens the information of periodic information through right communication channels. At this time, adopting and affording new technology is also prohibitive. Lack of common vocabulary between the response organization and the victims also add to the problem. The emergency communication tools become unaffordable. These challenges surfaced when health information was being disseminated. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had deployed more than 600 staff members for technical assistance and another 500 in the emergency response cell to provide off-site help about health-related risks (Vanderford, Nastoff, Telfer & Bonzo, 2007). CDC had prior experience in activating Emergency Communication System (ECS) and hence CDC was better prepared for delivering public health information. However, the magnitude of Katrina challenged even the fundamental tenets of emergency communication practice that had worked in the past. CDC has an Emergency Preparedness and Response website with all details but they still found themselves incompetent. Their past experiences with hurricanes had taught them to partner with other agencies such as The Weather Channel (TWC) for disseminating information to the public about health hazards. This strategy is consistent with risk communicating principles. CDC identified meteorologists and weathercasters as primary and trusted sources of information. They also initiated partnerships with home improvement chains and their PSAs. Despite all their preparedness, CDC still met with challenges when providing information immediately after the hurricane. Power outrages hindered the dissemination of information and the electronic channels such as websites, radio and television were not of much help either. Since there were no electronic means to reach the affected areas, CDC communication specialists took the help of local, face-to-face channels to communicate health messages. The health communication specialists went to the emergency response centers and evacuation centers and used whatever local communication channels were available. The staff identified places were resources such as ice and water was available because these became the points where health information was disseminated. They also faced the challenge to reach the displaced residents at the evacuation centers but these centers are available only for short periods. The new shelters had even lesser access to communication which added to the challenges. CDC also had to take into account the literacy levels and the cultural diversity in dissemination of information. They had to modify the format and restructure the health messages to meet different needs. They also had to modify messages to increase the credibility with affected audience in affected areas. Partnering with federal agencies was of little help. Organizational challenges occur when groups that are used to hierarchy and hierarchical decision-making have to switch over to flatter, more dynamic, ad-hoc organization that emerges during post-disaster relief efforts (Manoj & Baker, 2007). Here, collaborative technologies such as mobile applications, web-based email and other communication applications can aid in the effectiveness of cross-organizational communication. Hierarchical organizations leave wide information gaps and hence a hybrid organizational model needs to be developed. Moreover there is lack of authentic information immediately after the disaster strikes. At this point it is not the scarcity of information but too many resources and too much information strains the capacity of the management and the communication system. If new technology is introduced, it would require training in new technology and also the entire culture of the organization may need to be changed. Thus, an integration of all three factors should bring about a comprehensive approach in solving the communication issues at such disasters. Lack of integration between departments and organizations led to interoperability issues. People from city, state and FEMA could not communicate directly because each had its own frequency and different equipment for the emergency equipment system (Banipal, 2006). The volunteers from outside could not use the system as it could not take the load of additional users. The utility poles were knocked off which further disrupted communications. Some cell sites had power backup but not all carriers. Antennas at the top of the cell sites were damaged due to high velocity winds. Wind also knocked down the coaxial cables which connected radio frequency signal from the equipment at cell sites to antennas. Besides, there were obstacles to achieving seamless communication between police, fire, ambulance and other first responder agencies (Dizard, 2005). When proper information is not transmitted, it gives rise to speculative data which can be even worse leading to chaos and confusion. Many public entities had problems in communicating with each other, and the impact of interoperability failures were magnified when even the “normal” communication links were blinked out (Miller, n.d.). Mississippi’s National Guard Responders could not establish effective communication links with the governor or the state’s emergency management agency for 48 hours after the hurricane hit the city of New Orleans. The law enforcement units used different radio frequencies than the local police. DoD military responders could not communicate with FEMA or other civilian authorities. There was total chaos as nobody knew what was going on, who was where and who needed what. Lack of basic coordinating information was a persistent problem. Operability limited the effectiveness of any efforts made by the federal government to set call priorities. A pre-conceived plan in the face of crisis does not work. Strong leadership, innovative thinking, tireless energy and creativity is essential as demonstrated by the Sandra Alstadt of Entergy Corporation (PR News, 2006). She could keep her cool and direct her team of 30 strong communicators. Under her leadership power could be restored to 1.1 million homes and assuage weary customers. The lesson learned from such disasters is that state and federal agencies should not wait for request for assistance that may never come (Editorial, 2005). Lack of good communication impedes the disaster response of governments and rescue organizations as most of the landlines were out, the cell towers were down and electric power as disrupted. The United States lacks a national standard network for emergency communications. The chaos theory suggests that uncertainties and ambiguities can affect relationships between responder agencies and forged new organizational links (Vanderford, Nastoff, Telfer & Bonzo, 2007). However, predictable unpredictabilities do exist within disorganized communication system and this is what one has to be prepared for. Since CDC had some form of preparedness from previous experiences, they only had to modify their messages to suit the changed environment; they did not have to create new ones. In the face of such disasters, even preparedness does not work. However, a basic knowledge management plan has to be kept ready for incident response. The most important issue appears to lack of coordination between different organizations, departments and rescue agencies. While the contribution of different departments is essential, chaos is created when there is lack of coordination and cooperation. At this point, no agency should claim for personal fame or recognition. To eliminate such issues, the federal government should have a disaster management department where all the relevant agencies and departments are involved. These organizations which play a vital role in disaster management include the telecommunications department, fire department, rescue agencies, ambulance and healthcare services. All these departments should be covered under a standard wireless network throughout the United States so that communication between them remains consistent. They should be covered under the same carrier to avoid confusion. Another technical challenge is to overcome the issue of multi-organizational radio interoperability. To make the communication system withstand large or medium disaster, two technological solutions can be incorporated – dual-use technology and built-in architectural and protocol redundancy (Manoj & Baker, 2007). During emergencies such devices would work in a network-controlled fashion. The second most vital arrangement should be to ensure communication with people having lower levels of literacy and from diverse cultural backgrounds. This could be communicated through mass media channels such as television throughout the year. Certain symbolic means of communication can be developed which should be relayed through the television and newspapers. Even task force phone numbers can be pre-assigned and communicated to the public all over the country. This may to some extent make communication easier in the midst of disasters. The third most critical necessity is the development of leaders within the rescue management team. Efficiency in technology and administration is not sufficient. In the coastal areas and especially the rural areas, small districts should have trained leaders to take care of disasters. Rumors, speculation and misinformation can be avoided if such leaders are trained and ready at all times. Each district should also have psychiatrists and healthcare professionals to guide the emotionally disturbed public. It is difficult to bring in such workforce after the disaster strikes and hence such help should always be available for any such emergencies. When the names of such leaders are circulated on a regular basis, the information coming from such people would be given credence. Media too distorts and creates panic. Media guidelines have to be strictly enforced and there should be a separate team to monitor what should and should not be released to the public. The government has to demonstrate its ability to handle the situation from all angles and media plays a vital role in such projections. Confidence in the government actions can be build through the right media releases. Overall a sense of urgency has to be instilled in the people responsible for disaster management. Disaster is not announced in advance and hence what is important is to be prepared at all times from all perspectives. The basic infrastructure needs to be ready not just for disasters but for catastrophes which can leave thousands dead, millions losing their homes and properties, and catastrophe that leaves the nation crippled. The essence of management lies in communication as all problems be it technical, social or organizational, lies in effective communication. References Banipal, K 2006, Strategic approach to disaster management: lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, Disaster Prevention and Management, 15 (3), 484-494 Business Wire, Sept 7, 2005, AMD Connects Hurricane Katrina Evacuees With Internet Devices in Texas Relief Centers; Nearly 400 Personal Internet Communicators Help Evacuees in Houston, Austin and San Antonio Connect With Family, Friends and Relief Agencies, N. York Dizard, WP October 26, 2005, Communications interoperability issues dominate hearing, Newsbytes. Editorial, September 9 2005, Hurricane Experience -- and Lack of Same, The Washington Post Manoj, BS & Baker, A 2007, COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES INEMERGENCY RESPONSE, COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM March 2007/vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 51-53 Miller, R n.d, Hurricane Katrina: Communications & Infrastructure Impacts, retrieved 20 November 2010 from http://www.carlisle.army.mil/DIME/documents/Hurricane%20Katrina%20Communications%20&%20Infrastructure%20Impacts.pdf PR News, Nov 6, 2006 Crisis Communicator of the Year, Potomac, vol 62, no. 43. p.1 Silva, J June 4, 2007, Regs from Katrina aftermath fall short, Dems at FCC charge, RCR Wireless News. Vanderford, ML Nastoff, T Telfer, JL & Bonzo, SE 2007, Emergency Communication Challenges in Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Journal of Applied Communication Research, vol. 35. no. 1, pp. 9-25 Weaver, HF September 12, 2005, Customers stay connected in wake of Katrina, RCR Wireless News Read More