American Red Cross Disaster Services Technology€¦ · Disaster Services Technology What is the Red Cross? • The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides

Disaster Services Technology

American Red Cross Disaster Services Technology


Summary

•  Disaster Services Technology volunteers are trained technology experts who ensure that the American Red Cross is successful in its mission to deliver aid and comfort to people who have been impacted by disasters.


What is the Red Cross?

•  The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States.

•  It is the designated US affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.


American Red Cross services

•  Disaster relief •  Health and safety training •  Blood collection •  Support of military families •  International services


Disaster Relief

•  Responds to more than 70,000 disasters each year.

•  Operates under a congressional charter. •  Provides immediate care services such as

shelter, clothing, food and water, mental health assistance, etc.

•  Assists in the transition back to normal life.


Local Disaster Relief Operations

•  More than 650 local chapters provide the bulk of the Red Cross’s deployable volunteers and staff.

•  Local on-call Disaster Action Teams operate as first responders to local disasters.

•  House fires are the most common local disaster.


National Disaster Relief Operations

•  After a large-scale disaster, or when one is anticipated, the Red Cross performs an impact assessment.

•  Based on that assessment, a national Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) may be declared.

•  At that point, national volunteers and supplies are dispatched to help manage the crisis.


Activity Teams on DRO’s

•  Client Services – Casework, Recovery Planning, Health Services, etc.

•  Mass Care – Sheltering, Feeding, etc. •  Planning – Disaster Assessment, etc. •  Logistics •  Disaster Services Technology •  External Relations •  Staff Services



DST is an internal support team responsible for providing and supporting technical services during a disaster.

•  Computer Operations •  Communications •  Networking •  Customer Service


During a DRO, DST turns this…


…into this.


DRO – Push Kits

•  The DST team on a DRO will be communicating with national DST.

•  National DST will immediately FedEx (yes, FedEx) a preassembled “push kit” of technology equipment from a warehouse in Austin to the new DRO’s ad-hoc operations center.


DRO – Austin DSMC


DRO – Push Kits


DRO – Push Kits Common equipment includes:

•  Satellite internet dish, modem, etc. •  Servers •  Switches and routers •  Laptops •  VOIP phones •  Cell phones •  Laptops •  Lots of cable


Networking

•  Most Red Cross activities eventually require a phone, computer, and internet access.

•  Software systems play critical roles in our inventory processes, staffing processes, client data storage, client services, and most other activities.


Networking

•  Large disasters often impact local internet service providers and computing facilities, so the Red Cross brings its own.

•  DST sets these systems up quite literally within hours of our arrival on a DRO.


Networking – SurfBeam-2

•  Our current deployable network system begins with the 30-lb airline-checkable SurfBeam-2 satellite dish.





•  The SurfBeam-2 is set up in a designated and cordoned-off area and aimed a geostationary satellite. Alignment software is preinstalled on certain DST laptops.

•  The SurfBeam is then plugged into a ViaSat modem.


Networking - ViaSat

•  Plugging the satellite modem into our push kit’s network router gives all of our systems immediate access to the Red Cross’s national DRO network.

•  By connecting large network switches to the router, we can then begin building a computer lab for the DRO’s headquarters.


Networking - Switch


Networking - Servers

•  The push kits also include network servers for handling local file storage and backup, network administration, DHCP IP configuration, and other tasks.


Networking - Servers


Computer Operations

•  The push kit also includes a large supply of preconfigured laptops, VOIP phones, and necessary peripherals.

•  This equipment is used to create numerous individual workstations throughout the operations center.


Computer Operations


Computer Operations


Communications – VOIP

•  VOIP phones are used with the ViaSat system to provide communications between the local operations center and national resources.

•  VOIP phones need to be configured so that dialing 911 will reach the local dispatcher, as calls are otherwise automatically routed through our national operations center.


Communications – ATA Fax

•  Push kits also include ATA Fax devices, which allow normal analog telephone devices to be connected to the Red Cross network, behaving as VOIP.

•  This allows us to use multifunction fax/printer/scanner devices on our network.


Communications - Cellular

•  Cell Phones are used with remote personnel, but are not always viable due to damaged local cellular networks. When the local networks are repaired or replaced, cell phones become the preferred tool.


Communications - Satellite

•  Satellite Phones are available in DST push kits, and are authorized for use in some cases.

•  MSAT Fixed Site satellite phone systems are also available. MSAT’s use a remote satellite antenna, allowing use of multiple satellite phones within a building or other blocking structure.


Communications - MSAT


Communications - Radios

•  Push kits also include base, mobile, and handheld radios operated on VHF Low Band, 47.42 MHz.

•  Coax cables and base station antennas are included.

•  Our national call sign is currently KGB223.


Communications - Radios


Communications - DOIS

•  On a DRO, DST creates, distributes, and maintains a Disaster Operation Information Sheet, which is a phone and email directory for that DRO.

•  This is essential to ensuring clear lines of communication throughout the operation.


Communications - DOIS


Customer Service •  As the resident technology experts on a DRO, DST is

also responsible for running a help desk.

•  We provide support not just for our equipment, but for general technology assistance.

•  When we can’t solve a problem, we can get in touch with people who can, or provide alternatives.

•  “I can’t help you with that” is not in our vocabulary.


Customer Service – Help Desk


Networking - VSAT

•  Prior to the acquisition of the small ViaSat systems, we used larger VSAT terminals and satellite dishes.

•  These systems have now been demobilized.


Networking - VSAT


Networking - VSAT


Emergency Communications Response Vehicles (ECRV’s)

•  Due to the size and complexity of the VSAT system, several were prepositioned throughout the country, attached to donated response vehicles with specially trained crews assigned to them.

•  The ECRV’s have since been deactivated, but served well for over a decade, participating in every major disaster relief operation and many minor DRO’s.


ECRV’s


ECRV’s In addition to VSAT dishes and modems, ECRV’s included a wide array

of equipment:

•  8,500 KWV generator •  Monitor and GPS •  16 radio antennas and numerous radios •  52’ Will-Burt mast with 4 N-type RF cable runs •  10 Wi-Fi VOIP phones •  10 Wi-Fi laptops •  10 cellphones •  10 handheld UHF radios •  300’ Cat-5 cable •  Pan-Tilt remote control camera •  Frequency meter/SWR meter


ECRV’s - Radios •  ICOM IC-706MkIIG (HF/VHF/UHF) •  2 x Vertex VX-4000 (Low-Band VHF) •  Midland 70-290 (CB) •  2 x Bendix-King GMH (VHF) •  2 x Bendix-King EMV (UHF) •  2 x Uniden BC780 XLT Scanner •  Mitsubishi Satellite Phone •  Blackberry 7290 •  RELM RMU Plus (UHF) •  Vertex FNB-29A Handheld (Low-Band VHF) •  Motorola Micom 2E ALE (Channelized HF) •  Kenwood TS-2000 (HF/VHF/UHF)


Local DST Activities

•  Besides deployment to national DRO’s, local DST volunteers also assist their own chapters in identifying and responding to technology needs, and work to ensure local preparedness.


Summary

•  Disaster Services Technology volunteers are trained technology experts who ensure that the American Red Cross is successful in its mission to deliver humanitarian aid and comfort to people who have been impacted by disasters.


American Red Cross Disaster Services Technology€¦ · Disaster Services Technology What is the Red Cross? • The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides

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