1. Global Wireless Emergency Recovery Disaster Preparedness
Tony Anastasio

2. Typical Types of Disasters
Hurricanes, Typhoons
Tsunamis
Tornadoes
Flash Floods or Flooding
Fire – Brush, Forest, Building
Earthquakes
Terrorist Attacks
Flood
Tornado
Flood
Fire
Earthquake

3. Disaster Preparedness Things to Consider (1/2)
Network installed base information
Off site storage of detailed engineering information, equipment lists
Off site storage of current nodal backups/images
Off site storage of critical database information (subscriber info)
Current network interconnect diagrams
Prepare for network overload
Prioritize service for the 1st responders, 911
Ensure backup power systems are ready to go
Generators, battery plants, UPS systems
Generator refueling?
Portable generators ready and tested?
Adequate spare equipment on hand?
Circuit packs
Antennas and lines
BTS’s
COW’s
Contingency Plans
MSC loss (backhaul to another switch)
BTS loss (replacement)
Backhaul Loss (24x7 contact info and access to backhaul provider(s))
Infrastructure failure (PSTN interconnect, power)

4. Disaster Preparedness Things to Consider (2/2)
Establish liaison with local/regional/state EOC’s
Establish liaison with local/regional/state Law Enforcement
Required for ingress / egress to disaster zone
Establish liaison at the Federal level (as required) with FEMA, National Guard
Determine who is the Lead Federal Agency and establish liaison
Arrange for on demand security support
Site security
Personnel security
Personnel Safety
Lodging, Food, Water
Safety gear e.g. Hard Hats, Chainsaws, Steel toe boots, heavy gloves, flashlights, etc
Clothing appropriate for the location and disaster
Immunizations (Tetanus)
Communications
First Aid training & kits
Nearest functioning hospital emergency room
Minimum of 2 personnel per recovery team
Know location of Shelters (Fallout Shelters, Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc)
Plan for Public Relations point of contact for Media inquiries

5. Disaster Preparedness Things to Expect
Plan for Limited or No Access into disaster zone
May be restricted or impossible for days/weeks
Inability to refuel generators
Plan for Loss of Security
Lack of law enforcement in disaster area may lead to looting, riots, robberies, muggings or worse
Expect to secure your own security teams for sites and technical personnel
Plan for Loss of Commercial power
Recent experiences highlight long delays in power restoration, in some cases 6-8 weeks
Even if access is possible to the disaster zone, fuel may not be available to refuel generators due to lack of power at gas stations, fuel depots
Plan to augment/replace local resources with others from outside disaster zone
Plan for lack of lodging for recovery personnel in disaster zone
Plan for lack of food, water for recovery personnel in disaster zone
Plan for appropriate transportation, e.g. 4wd vehicles, boats, RV’s, etc.
Plan for secure staging area

6. Disaster Preparedness Nortel Support
Securing replacement hardware
Typically not an issue
Securing resources for installation and/or recovery
Switch on Wheels (SOW)
Can be created and made available in 3-7 days
Provides limited capacity
Requires infrastructure availability
PSTN Interconnect
BTS Interconnect
ER will open a Disaster Response bridge for progress updates

7. Disaster Recovery Steps
If you are involved in a disaster
Account for and verify safety of all your personnel in disaster zone
Contact Nortel Emergency Recovery to report the disaster, if we have not already contacted you first
Work with Nortel ER to assess damage and your requirements for recovery
ER will activate the Nortel Disaster Response Team (DRT) involving:
Engineering
Logistics
Installation
Supply Chain
Customer Operations
Account Team
Technical Support
Network Integration
The DRT will secure replacement equipment on a priority basis
The DRT will secure resources to install, commission and integrate the equipment
The DRT will engage other DRT members as required for each customer and/or event
The DRT operates 24x7 until stand down from the disaster is declared
Where multiple customers are impacted simultaneously, Nortel will prioritize disaster response actions in accordance with the severity, the highest severity items will be managed first.
You should provide a single point of contact (SPOC) for the DRT, acting as your Damage Assessment Prime

8. Execute “prep” steps in parallel.
Disaster Management & Recovery
Tornado
Flood
Advanced
Warning
Earthquake
Hurricane
YES
Fire NO
Early Prep (ER)
Send notification to all teams of potential disaster (Kick-off preparedness planning)
Consolidate Potentially affected sites & existing equipment (feed to supply chain)
Validate logistics (War Rooms, Communications, etc.)
Communicate Prep status to executive team
Gather resource help (GNPS, GNTS/TAS)
Validate Disaster Preparedness documentation
Disaster
Hit
Terrorism
Execute “prep” steps in parallel. NO
Stand Down
YES
Early Prep (COL)
Collect Potentially affected sites & existing equipment
Assess potential damage sites
Send Disaster Preparedness documentation to potentially affected customers.
ER War Room
Hot Line
Disaster
Preparedness
documentation
Disaster Recovery (ER)
Initiate Disaster Recovery Action Plan (War Room, Recovery, Communications, etc.)
Coordinate all incoming calls for assistance (Customer & COL)
Send executive status reports
Early Prep (Supply Chain)
Review Factory inventory and manufacturing capabilities against potentially impacted sites.
Disaster Recovery (COL)
Assign Disaster Assessment Prime
Collect Site impact & Communicate to ER Prime
Provide Periodic Status (as defined by communication plan) to ER coordination prime.
Early Prep (Government relations)
Engage government agencies & communicate plans to ER teams.
Disaster Recovery (Supply Chain)
Pre-stage equipment
Communicate status to ER coordination Prime
Disaster
Hit
Disaster Recovery (I&C)
Resource Management
Communicate status to ER coordination prime
Stand
Down NO
YES

10. Buras Water Tower Collapsed on top of District 8 Council Building - Buras

14. Dynamics of Disaster Recovery
Equipment Delivery & Installation Challenges (large scale disasters)
Access (Road Closures)
Security (Social unrest)
Logistics (Lodging, Food, Gas)
Health Concerns (Contamination/Disease)
Evacuee Telecommunications Requirements
Cellular Roaming
Evacuee Centers
“Non-Traditional” Customers
FEMA (1-800 Help Line)
Government Agency Interaction
1st Responders Support
Access
Security
Logistics
Health
Re-Home – Containerize – Replace

15. Alternative Solutions Choosing the Best Path
Containerized Systems
Network Facilities must be in place at the point of replacement
Containerized Solutions are NOT a like-for-like replacement (usually smaller)
Environmental conditions must support bringing in containers and Human Resources to set-up and run the temporary facility.
Office Re-Homing
While Geographic Survivability is not typically part of standard network designs, Tandem office re-homing can usually be accomplished with minimal effort.
Only partial Network Facilities required
Environmental conditions at point of loss not an issue
End Office re-homing (lines) is more difficult, but depending on the nature of the disaster, line “users” are also displaced and land-line facilities are also destroyed. This allows time for more conventional office replacement.
Office Replacement
If time, physical facilities, and environmental conditions permit, replacing the equipment in the current facility is always the best alternative

16. CDMA MTX SOW

17. CDMA BSC SOW

18. CDMA HUB site PSTN 48 CMI BTS sites CDMA MTX CDMA BSC CBRS
416 PSTN T1s or DS3 or OC3
Optera
SPM
PSTN
CDMA HUB site
320 SBS T1s
Muxed to OC-3 MW
Radio
Gear
114 BTS T1s
microwave
CDMA BSC
Optera
11p FP
ESEL SBS frames
Optera
CBRS
48 CMI BTS sites

19. Commercially Available COW’s (Cell Site on Wheels)
Pictures courtesy of Ft. Worth Tower, Inc. and Aluma Tower Co. Inc.