Experts ready to intervene 24/7 anywhere in the world
Founded in 1998, Télécoms Sans Frontières is the world’s leading emergency telecommunications non-profit organisation. For more than 13 years, TSF has participated in international emergency efforts, setting up emergency communications facilities in war-torn or disaster zones for affected populations and relief workers.
The top priority for TSF is to reach the affected destination and set up communication facilities as quickly as possible, in the first hours of an emergency. The initial part of the response is the most critical part of the emergency - when we save lives.
With its 24-hour monitoring centre and offices in Europe, Central America, Asia, and the United States, TSF crews of IT and telecoms specialists can intervene anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours to provide emergency telecom services. For the last 12 years, TSF has built a roster of IT and telecoms specialists (18 staff and 40 volunteers all over the world) that are competent, trained and motivated individuals ready to be deployed anywhere in the world with a few hours notice. Thanks to mobile teams, TSF is among the first to arrive after a catastrophe.
This vital role is recognised in TSF’s status with regard to UN and other offi cial agencies. Since 2006, it is the First Responder for the UN Emergency Telecommunications Cluster.
This vital role is recognised in TSF’s status with regard to UN and other offi cial agencies. Since 2006, it is the First Responder for the UN Emergency Telecommunications Cluster.
Emergencies: a critical need in telecommunications
Telecommunications services are frequently disrupted during emergencies. Telecommunication networks are often seriously damaged or destroyed (Land lines destroyed, GSM antennas damaged and/or GSM networks saturated). Some humanitarian crises threaten people living in areas where there was never a robust and reliable telecommunications system. Following a disaster the limited communication services, although functional, can become over-saturated slowing down the ability of local organisations to assist affected communities. The result is that in emergencies – where the need for telecommunications is greatest – telecommunications is often unavailable.
Once on the ground, TSF:
(1) initiates a humanitarian calling operation;
(2) establishes multiple emergency telecommunications centres for first responders; and, where necessary,
(3) conducts ICT assessments to assist with recovery planning.
• Humanitarian Calling Operations
Once on the ground in an emergency, TSF deploys specialists to wherever survivors have found shelter and offers a free three-minute phone call to every family. These calls are frequently the first contact displaced persons have with the outside world. Affected civilians can get in touch with their family members, find medical assistance, access emergency housing and nutrition services, and contact relatives to arrange for support or simply to let their loved ones know that they have survived.
• Satellite-based Emergency Telecommunications Centres Simultaneously, TSF specialists establish emergency telecom centres for emergency responders. The centres offer – at no charge – broadband Internet access, voice communications, fax lines and all the IT equipment needed for a field office. These centres enable emergency NGOs, the UN agencies, and local authorities to communicate right at the heart of a crisis. They also facilitate the coordination of aid efforts. First responders use TSF’s telecommunications services to communicate vital information, stay connected with headquarters and other emergency responders in the country who are often spread across a wide geographic area. Information management and sharing has become critical for an effective humanitarian response.
• ICT assessment
TSF rapid response teams also assist local governments and emergency response coordinators to perform ICT assessments of damaged areas. We use our ICT experience to assist these organisations in preparing to reestablish commercial networks or planning to build the ICT support infrastructure needed for the recovery stage following an emergency.
When connectivity issues arise and relief workers can’t work, it only serves to deepen the disaster. TSF thus relies on satellite services and sets up emergency satellite solutions to the benefit of humanitarian workers and affected people. When the local GSM network is still running in some parts of the afflicted regions, TSF uses mobile phones for local calls, particularly during humanitarian calling operations. It has always been crucial for TSF to use the most up-to-date and appropriate on-site solutions and to employ the latest technologies and devices.
Since 1998, TSF has intervened in 60 countries, serving hundreds of thousands of victims and more than 570 humanitarian organisations. The average length of a deployment is 45 days, until the re-establishment of telecom infrastructures, until UN agencies and relief organisations set up their own communications or until the handover to other organisation for longer term management.
Telecommunications rapidly deployed in emergencies can make the differenceTyphoons in the Philippines (September 2009)
The voice, data and fax services, as well as GPS devices provided by TSF facilitated the work of UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams) assessment teams and offered mental support to affected civilians who made calls with TSF. An old man, who had been staying in an evacuation centre after the first typhoon, was able to make a call to his family, sheltered in another camp. They had been separated during the emergency evacuation.
Hurricane Ida in Nicaragua (November 2009)
TSF worked in coordination with the UNDAC team. TSF collected and made available stratified data concerning damage to the country (infrastructure, agriculture, water sources and communication links) caused by Hurricane Ida, and also made available information about the needs of the affected population.
Earthquake in Haiti (January 2010)
During the first days of operations, it was impossible to make a phone call but still a huge amount of SMS were released from people trapped under the rubble. For instance, a mother sent an SMS to her son in the US “help us, your two year old sister is trapped under our house in Rue Saint Jacques". SAR teams eventually ended up trying to get the information from the Web, using mapping databases or Google Earth. They eventually managed to find something, locate it on the map, get the coordinates and send a SAR team out there. The girl was pulled out of the building alive.