[Chapter-delegates] [Fwd: [PICISOC] Pacific tsunami warning system put to the test]

Wed May 3 16:07:54 PDT 2006

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All,

I'm not sure you know about this event.

I'm wondering if there are any ISOC members or Chapters involved in
this exercise?

Also if they think that PICISOC could help?

It would be interesting to get our hands on any report where
communications systems issues are discussed.

Cheers

- -------- Original Message --------
Subject:     [PICISOC] Pacific tsunami warning system put to the test
Date:     Thu, 04 May 2006 10:30:20 +1200
From:     Franck Martin <franck at sopac.org>
Reply-To:     Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society Discussion
List <PICISOC at picisoc.org>
Organization:     SOPAC
To:     Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society Discussion List
<PICISOC at picisoc.org>

The question also as we are going to IP networks to carry information
and voice is: Are the IP networks in the Pacific Islands suitable to
carry such alerts? Are there portals where to go to get information? How
the Internet can help to be prepared and not panicked?

http://portal0.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=32759&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Pacific tsunami warning system put to the test
Editorial Contact: Sue Williams, Press Relations Section, tel. +33 (0)1
45 68 17 06 - Email

27-04-2006 10:30 am The first-ever region-wide test of the Pacific
Tsunami Warning System will be carried out over 16 and 17 May. Sponsored
by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) which
established the system over 40 years ago, the exercise aims to increase
preparedness, evaluate response capabilities in each country and improve
coordination throughout the region. The simulation will be carried out
in two stages, beginning with a mock tsunami warning bulletin from the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii on May 16. The bulletin will be
transmitted to designated contact points and national emergency
authorities responsible for tsunami response in each country. It will
clearly indicate that it is a test as opposed to an actual warning.

In the second stage, which should be conducted on the same day or the
following day, government officials will disseminate the message within
the country to local emegency management and response authorites,
simulating what would happen in a real situation. Notifying authorities
of at least one single coastal community is set as a sufficient measure
for testing the end-to-end process of the entire country for the
purposes of this first exercise.

“To be effective, warning systems must maintain a high level of
readiness,” said UNESCO/IOC Executive Secretary Patricio Bernal. “This
means emergency agencies should regularly practice their response
procedures to ensure that vital communications links work seamlessly and
that agencies and response personnel know the roles that they will need
to play during an actual event.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura has urged all countries in the
region to take part in the exercise, known as Exercise Pacific Wave ’06.

“We should not lose sight of the fact that more tsunamis occur in the
Pacific than in any other ocean. It is therefore imperative that all
nations in this region participate,” Mr Matsuura said. “UNESCO is
committed to helping countries to improve their warning capability. We
are confident the results of this exercise will not only help to protect
the public from future tsunamis, but will also serve as a testing model
for other areas that could be impacted by these destructive waves.

There are 28 member countries in the UNESCO/IOC International
Coordinating Group of the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.
Exercise Pacific Wave ’06 is the first drill in a series of regular
exercises. A task team chaired by Australia and including
representatives from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, West
Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre, Northwest Pacific Tsunami Advisory
Centre, International Tsunami Information Centre, Australia, Chile,
France, Fiji, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Samoa and the
USA, is coordinating the May 2006 exercise.

- --
Franck Martin
ICT Specialist
franck at sopac.org
SOPAC, Fiji
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"Toute connaissance est une reponse a une question" G.Bachelard
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