Highlights
TORNADOES
Tornadoes Strike Joplin, Verizon Springs Into Action
May 2011
Not long after tornadoes struck Joplin, Mo., Verizon Wireless began sending three temporary cell towers to provide emergency wireless calling capacity and coverage in and around Joplin.
CYBER
Boeing Survives Cyber Attacks
PressTV, June 3, 2011
Boeing says it has survived cyber attacks because of its defensive capabilities.
Japan Earthquake: Internet “Didn’t Even Blink,” Says Analyst
March 12, 2011 IEEE.org
Napolitano Gives Rundown on U.S. Cybersecurity Efforts
October 27, 2011 GovTech
Private-sector companies manage the bulk of these digital systems, so governments and corporations must work together to safeguard critical infrastructure. “We have to have a concerted public-private partnership to secure that infrastructure,” Napolitano said.
Feds, ISPs Team On Cybersecurity For Defense Contractors
June 1y, 2011 Information Week
The federal government currently has a number of early efforts under way to share intelligence information around cyber threats between the public and private sectors to improve cybersecurity. Through one pilot program launched last year, the DHS shares threat intelligence information with some private-sector CIOs and cyber security officers if it will protect their networks.
DIB Cybersecurity Pilot has Stopped ‘Hundreds’ of Intrusions, says DOD Lynn
August 16, 2011 FierceGovernmentIT
During an address to the 2011 DISA Customer and Industry Forum in Baltimore, Md., Lynn said the sharing of malicious code signatures gathered through intelligence efforts to pilot participants has already stopped “hundreds of intrusions.”
EARTHQUAKES
Cisco: Working Towards Recovery: After the Earthquake & Tsunami in Japan
Members of the Primary Expedition Team installing network equipment as part of the disaster relief effort share first-hand stories about Cisco’s ongoing efforts to restore network connectivity and critical communications.
Firms scramble to repair Haiti wireless service
MSNBC, 1/22/2010
U.S. wireless carriers are donating cell phones that can be used by relief workers in Haiti, including 10,000 phones from T-Mobile, and 7,000 from AT&T. T-Mobile is also working to “ship heavy-duty pickup trucks, portable diesel generators and temporary cell sites,” said a spokeswoman for the carrier. “We are coordinating with various groups to get this equipment to ports, and onto the next Naval relief ships as quickly as possible.”
The equipment is especially well-suited to the task of coordinating disaster relief operations and is compatible with existing government systems in the Sichuan Province.
Google Offers Satellite Images of Chinese Earthquake
Bloomberg BusinessWeek Apr 19, 2010 In the days after the Haiti earthquake last January, Google released high resolution satellite imagery of the destruction on the ground. Again, today the company is offering this same sort of imagery in the aftermath of a 6.9 earthquake in Qinghai, China.
Social Media Response to East Coast Earthquake Part of Growing Trend
August 25, 2011 MedTech Media
Two new surveys by the American Red Cross suggest that the uptick seen on sites such as Twitter and Facebook is part of a growing trend of Americans turning to social media in response to emergencies. “Social media is becoming an integral part of disaster response,” said Wendy Harman, director of social strategy for the American Red Cross. “Calling 911 is always the best first action to take when a person needs emergency assistance, but this survey shows there is an opportunity for emergency responders to meaningfully engage their communities on the social Web,” said Trevor Riggen, senior director of disaster services for the American Red Cross. “Traditional media, such as television and radio, are still important ways to reach people with emergency information but the social web offers a chance for emergency responders to understand in real time what their communities care about and need – and to become part of the fabric of the community.”
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
AT&T: Preparing for the Unexpected: AT&T Disaster Recovery Exercise Simulates Network Disaster in Washington, D.C. Region
October 17, 2011
This week’s Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) exercise in National Harbor includes an extensive deployment of network recovery equipment. The exercise tests and refines the team’s speed and efficiency in restoring wired and wireline network operations in the event of an actual disaster. Essential to AT&T’s own comprehensive business continuity plan, the National Harbor NDR exercise features 25 disaster recovery trailers and vehicles, including technology trailers, emergency communications vehicles and a variety of smaller utility and support trailers, as well as a search-and-rescue dog team demonstration. “Exercises like this help ensure AT&T is as prepared as possible in the event of disaster, and we’re hopeful that businesses and organizations in the D.C. metro area continue to recognize the critical importance of ongoing investment in crisis preparation.”
CenturyLink helps North Carolina Customers Plan for Severe Weather
August 2011 CenturyLink has an internal disaster preparedness plan that puts recovery practices in motion before a storm ever reaches North Carolina. The company’s customer care centers have an established disaster recovery plan to handle customer inquiries and repair issues after a disaster strikes. ‘CenturyLink has a long history of ensuring the reliability and resiliency of its network under any circumstance,’ said Kevin McCarter, CenturyLink’s vice president and general manager for Central & Eastern North Carolina.
Intrado Announces THOR Shield Mobile 911 Program
Intrado’s Tactical Homeland Operational Response (THOR) Shield, a mobile 911 emergency-communications program is designed to help public-safety answering points (PSAPs) maintain operations when their call centers are down or overwhelmed by traffic in crisis situations.
AT&T Remote Mobility Zone Aids Critical Communications in Emergency and Disaster Situations
AT&T Remote Mobility Zone Aids Critical Communications in Emergency and Disaster Situations.
Iridium: Opening Communications Lifelines for Rapid Response Teams
Disasters can happen anywhere in the world. GlobalMedic response teams require reliable communications that are never compromised by location. Iridium Communications has provided GlobalMedic with Iridium 9555 and Iridium 9505A satellite phones to equip their responders with lifelines they can rely on anywhere on the planet.
An Inside Look: How Verizon Prepares For Extreme Weather
NAB Member Benefit Programs to Provide Disaster Recovery Services to Broadcast Members
April 5, 2011
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced a new member benefit program with Agility Recovery Solutions that provides NAB members with the services they need to ensure that radio and television stations continue to broadcast to their communities during life-threatening situations. “In times of crisis, broadcasters serve as a critical lifeline for the public by keeping communities alert and informed,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. “Partnering
with Agility Recovery Solutions helps to ensure that our member stations have the tools they need to keep their radio and television stations up and running when the public needs them the most.”
ECONOMIC HARDSHIP
Sprint: Assurance Wireless Helps Eligible Veterans and Military Families with Free Handsets and Service
For veterans going through tough financial times, or struggling to find a job in several states, Assurance Wireless is a smart, free way to increase the odds of securing employment. With a free wireless phone, plus 250 minutes of national local and long-distance monthly service for eligible customers, Assurance Wireless gives veterans the ability to provide a contact number and return calls to prospective employers which, studies show, can improve the chances of securing employment.
PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES – CYBERSECURITY
Cyber Storm II exercise shows improvement in preparedness – SC…The Department of Homeland Security’s second massive cybersecurity exercise has revealed improved preparedness across IT infrastructures and government …www.scmagazineus.com
SPECIAL NATIONAL EVENTS
Cell networks handle inauguration volume smoothly – USATODAY.com
The story was much the same at Verizon (VZ), which saw call volume more than triple in the hours leading up to the inauguration. …
Tallying Inaugural Cell Phone Traffic
Nextgov – Feb 12, 2009
That approach applies to the National Communications System and its wired and wireless emergency communications systems, which withstood the test of …
Biggest test for bandwidth: Qwest exec predicts next summer’s …
For Qwest, keeping political loyalists connected is a doubly important public-relations feat. The Republican National Convention that starts just days after …
ICE STORMS
02/2/2009 The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces the Activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) in Response to Ice Storms in Kentucky. Public Notice: Word
HURRICANES
Wireless Phone Networks Stood Up Well to Hurricane
August 28, 2011 The New York Times
Cable Company Provides Emergency Services Following Hurricane…
Two days after the hurricane, a plane arrived loaded with Cisco phones, switches, and blades. Rastin and his team set to work, providing phone and network …
AT&T Prepared for Hurricane Ike in Florida
A critical element of AT&T’s efforts to maximize network reliability is the company’s … Be sure you have a “Hurricane Phone.” It’s a good idea to have a…
WILDFIRES
Fire Managers Use Satellites to Battle Western Blazes
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