UN emergency training with Telecoms Sans Frontieres in Costa Rica. Photo: Inmarsat

[Via Satellite 09-02-2016] Emergency telecoms agency Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) is training United Nations workers in Costa Rica on the support functionality of On-Site Operations Coordination Centers (OSOCC) for use in disaster situations. OSOCCs are the first port of call for aid agencies and search and rescue units, and as such are vital hubs for centralizing all the information necessary for a speedy and effective response.

TSF plays an import role in showing the UN Disaster Assessment Coordination (UNDAC) body how to deal with the critical communication demands they would face in the event of a disaster, and how satellite connectivity would be used to respond to their communication needs when local lines are down. A team from TSF’s base in Mexico is sharing its knowledge at the week-long training session for liaison officers, team leaders, national emergency managers, cluster coordinators, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) coordinators, UNDAC members and technical support staff which concludes with a two-day disaster simulation exercise.

Since 2006, TSF has been partnering with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to ensure that its centers are equipped with Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) satellite terminals, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and the expertise necessary to give victims the best chance of survival.