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Telecommunications in the Work of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The invaluable work of the International Red Cross Movement is well-known to people all over the world. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has, for nearly 80 years, played a unique part in alleviating the suffering of victims of natural and man-made disasters. It has cared for refugees and displaced people and for the injured, comforting the traumatized and bringing assistance to the most vulnerable around the world through its network of 170 member National Societies and its 128 million volunteers.
In addition to these National Societies, the International Federation has a network of regional delegations whose tasks concern operational activities. Their presence in a region enables them to keep a close watch on potentially dangerous developments and to function as an early warning system, making it possible for the IFRC to prepare for rapid humanitarian action.
Tying all these operations together is no easy task. Red Cross staff are frequently working out in the field, in countries where the infrastructure is deficient, or has been destroyed. Getting materials, and people, from one place to another, is a major logistical task. Keeping those people in touch can be even harder.
Communications play a vital role in the operations of the agency, in co-ordinating relief operations, in keeping in contact with other agencies in the area, in ensuring the security and safety of staff and aid recipients, and in keeping the regional and international offices appraised of what is going on. John Black, Head of the Field Support and Telecommunications Service of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, gives an example:
"Early Sunday morning, a truck carrying two humanitarian workers on their way to a refugee camp in Goma, Zaire strikes a land mine. Both workers are wounded, one very badly. But minutes later, a nurse travelling on the same road finds the workers and uses her VHF radio to arrange for their transportation to the Red Cross Federation hospital in Kibumba Camp. She is able to give the surgical team at the hospital advance warning, and they are ready to operate immediately. The lives are of the two workers are saved, and other humanitarian agencies working in the area are warned by radio of the incident, and are able to take appropriate security precautions.
"This dramatic incident is just one example of the necessity of reliable communications links for humanitarian agencies like the Red Cross. We regard telecommunications as a key factor in the delivery of aid, and we accord them a high priority in our strategic and operational planning."
The IFRC is just one of the agencies which this year will celebrate World Telecommunication Day under the theme 'Telecommunications and Humanitarian Assistance.' Organized by the International Telecommunication Union, the Geneva-based United Nations' specialized agency for telecommunications, the Day aims to highlight the growing importance of telecommunications in the field of international aid, and the potential of new technologies such as mobile and global satellite telephones in helping out where traditional communication links may not exist.
The Day will be marked by national events co-ordinated by telecommunications administrations around the world, and also has the support and involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Decade for Natural Disaster Relief, and the World Health Organization. There will be particular emphasis on the preparations now underway to adopt a new international convention, which aims to eliminate many of the national regulatory obstacles which currently often inhibit the use of radio and telecommunications equipment in international relief operations. "Cross border restrictions on the importation of telecommunications equipment can limit the effectiveness of our work in the field," says John Black. "Frequently, our teams need to go to places which have no links to the outside world. They need to be able to report back to base, and they need to stay in contact with one another. So we need to bring with us portable radios, satellite telephones and the like. But governments often have licensing and importation restrictions which make transportation of this equipment problematical. If we could have an International Convention which would solve this problem, it would certainly mean fewer headaches for us, and more rapid and effective delivery of aid to recipients."
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies act as auxiliaries to the public authorities in their own countries and provide services ranging from disaster relief, health and social assistance to first aid and child-care courses.
"Telecoms are vital to our work for a number of reasons," says Black. "Clearly, we need to co-ordinate the activities of many different offices, so that they can mount effective joint efforts. We depend on our communications infrastructure to increase co-operation with National Societies, in order to facilitate more cost-effective use of resources. And we rely heavily on communications links to manage the field operations, and to co-ordinate between staff on the ground and those back at headquarters. Finally, we need telecommunications to improve the security of our staff, co-workers and aid recipients in the field."
The importance of reliable communications technology to the Federation is reflected in the establishment of an Emergency Response Unit for Telecommunications. In co-operation with the Red Cross National Societies, telecommunications teams have been set up and kits of standard pre-packed essential communications equipment have been prepared. Teams can be deployed on 24-hour notice, ensuring that the organization is able to respond in the shortest possible time when disaster strikes.
At present, the IFRC makes use of a wide range of communications technologies, depending on the nature of the communications needed, and the local infrastructure available.
Satellite communications are increasingly used for international links and in new kinds of applications. The Federation installed its first satellite equipment in 1987, and today has more than 30 satellite stations around the world, providing a range of services such as voice, e-mail and fax.
Very High Frequency (VHF) radio is widely used for local communication. VHF systems can be installed in refugee camps, vehicles or field hospitals, with links to the delegation base camp. The range of the system can be extended using repeaters, and field workers can also be equipped with walkie-talkie handsets, enabling them always to maintain direct contact with the base. At present, the IFRC has about 250 base and mobile stations in the field, and about 1,000 walkie-talkies in use.
High Frequency (HF) radio is used for communications over longer distances, typically more than one hundred kilometres. It mostly carries voice traffic, but can also be used for data transmission in office-to-office communications. HF equipment is usually installed in Federation offices, vehicles, and often in field workers' homes for reasons of security. At present, the Federation has about 100 HF base stations and 250 HF mobile stations in the field.
Electronic mail is being increasingly used as a tool for communications by both National Societies and Federation Offices around the world. To date, some 47 Federation offices and 34 National Societies are hooked up, using a range of e-mail systems and the Internet. E-mail represents a reliable, low cost way for the Red Cross to keep in contact with its own people, and those working in other organizations around the world, regardless of time zones.
Pactor is a system which enables the transfer of data and e-mail messages over radio. Within the Federation Secretariat, the system allows the desk officer to send radio messages directly from his or her computer. Around 60 Federation Offices and several National Societies are linked to the Pactor system.
The Internet and the World Wide Web is increasingly used to disseminate information on the IFRC and its work. Situation Reports, Weekly News, publications such as the World Disasters Report, and other documents such as the Code of Conduct are accessible via the Web. In February 1997, the Federation site registered more than 100,000 'hits', with use of the service continuing to grow rapidly.
Sadly, perhaps, the sum of human progress since the creation of the International Red Cross movement in 1864 has not seen any decline in the workload of that organization, nor in the value of the work it performs around the world. There continue to be, worldwide, both natural and man-made disasters which stretch the finances and human resources of the world's oldest humanitarian network. But today, thanks to new developments in the field of telecommunications, the logistical work involved in large scale relief effort has been made a little easier, and the Red Cross has been able to act more quickly to pinpoint the areas which most need aid, and to alleviate the suffering of those in need. For telecommunications organizations like the ITU, this is perhaps the most gratifying and welcome application of the technology one could wish for.