RES647 – 369 – aware of the progress made in regional organizations around the world, and in particular in regional telecommunication organizations, on matters related to emergency communications planning and response, recognizing further a) that ITU-R has developed a Handbook on Emergency and Disaster Relief as well as various Reports and Recommendations relating to emergency and disaster relief operations and radiocommunication resources; b) that relevant provisions of Resolution 644 (Rev.WRC-12) were incorporated into this Resolution and Resolution 644 (Rev.WRC-12) was consequently suppressed at WRC-15; past versions of the Resolution will continue to be available on the ITU website for reference3, noting a) the close relation of this Resolution with Resolution 646 (Rev.WRC-15), on public protection and disaster relief; b) that when a disaster occurs, the disaster relief agencies are usually the first on the scene using their day-to-day communication systems, but that in most cases other agencies and organizations may also be involved in disaster relief operations; c) that there is a critical requirement to perform immediate spectrum management actions, including frequency coordination, sharing and spectrum reuse, within a disaster area; d) that national spectrum planning for emergency and disaster relief should take into account the need for cooperation and bilateral consultation with other concerned administrations, which can be facilitated by spectrum harmonization, as well as agreed spectrum management guidelines pertaining to disaster relief and emergency planning; e) that in times of disasters, radiocommunication facilities may be destroyed or impaired and the national regulatory authorities may not be able to provide the necessary spectrum management services for the deployment of radio systems for relief operations; f) that availability of information, such as the identification of administration disaster-relief contact information, frequency availability within individual administrations within which equipment could operate, and any relevant instructions or procedures may ease the interoperability and/or interworking, with mutual cooperation and consultation, especially in national, regional and cross-border emergency situations and disaster relief activities, _______________ 3 http://itu.int/go/PPDR