[CVRC] Recent Blackout Information and Facts

[Paul Cavnar]

The following review of problems arising from the recent
power outage is significant.  As you read through these
items, you can ask yourself how you would be affected by
such an incident.  The items names just scratched the
surface of items affected.  I have added a few to the end
of the list coming from other sources.  It does demonstrate
that our basic infrastructure depends on electrical power.

A CIP Review of the Power Outage

A review of the recent major power outage from a critical 
infrastructure protection (CIP) perspective seems 
appropriate for the consideration of the leaders of 
communities and their emergency responders. An 
examination of national news sources during the last 
several days reveals that particular critical infrastructures 
upon which first responders depend were partially 
degraded by the blackout. The following summary offers 
some brief insights into lessons-learned at several 
locations of the nation.

9-1-1 Systems:

*The extraordinary volume of calls created tremendous 
 backlogs. 

*Calling volume spikes sometimes caused callers to 
 encounter fast busy signals. 

*Many computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) systems
 stopped working. 

*9-1-1 operators resorted to handwriting notes for
 distribution to first responders. 

*Some locations had backup systems and some did not. 

*Battery backup power usually did not last more than a 
 few hours. 

*Responses or dispatches to the callers were occasionally
 delayed. 

Hard-Wire and Wireless Telephone Service:

*Generally, hard-wire or landlines continued to work. 

*More sophisticated landline equipment sometimes failed
 without electrical power. 

*The wireless or cellular network depends on a consistent
 flow of electricity. 

*Cellular transmitter stations failed when their battery backup
 power was exhausted. 

*Some cellular service was interrupted by extremely high
 caller volume. 

Backup Power Generators:

*Numerous backup generators support vital security and
 cooling systems. 

*Some generators made the transition to backup power
 simple and fast. 

*Generators at some locations were either not available or
 not functioning. 

*Those not tested on "full load" for more than two hours
 were prone to fail. 

*Those not routinely serviced and maintained are an
 unreliable source of power. 

*Several operational generators simply ran out of fuel
 with no reserve supply. 

Water Supply:

*Municipal water/sewerage departments cannot clean
 water without power. 

*Without power, pumps could not spread water through
 local systems. 

*Millions of people lost water shortly after the pumps
 stopped. 

*Backup power was frequently unavailable to keep pumps
 operating. 

*The loss of water and/or pressure necessitated alternative
 action by firefighters. 
  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
>From the EM list came other items that we can take note of:

*2.5M dairy cattle were within a few hours of their daily routine
 milking and without electricity to power the machines, the
 dairies were immediately facing a monumental crisis.

*Those nice automatic toilet flush valves in building don't work
 without electricity.  Rest rooms quickly become contaminated
 with waste build up.

*Some pay telephones were not affected.  However, they could
 not process credit or calling card calls that scan a card.

*Several cities water purification systems became risk items 
 when standing water could not be pressurized for purification.
 Those cities went into a mandatory 'boil water' order for 48
 hours after the blackout.

*It was estimated that 90% of all business could not transact
 business without electricity for several reasons.  Large chain
 stored such as Wal-Mart had to close because of inventory
 control problems.  They cannot transact business manually
 since all transaction depend upon bar-codes to do sales.

There is something to be said for basic communications.  It is
estimated that well over half of the POTS (plain old telephone
systems) with both dial and touch-tone capabilities, remained
usable throughout the blackout since those older systems 
were designed to run for several days under emergency power.

So, when you are tempted to buy the latest and greatest new
gadget, remind yourself that the more complex the system, the
greater the chances of it not working when the pressure is on.
Even Nextel's claimed 'bullet-proof' walkie-talkie technology 
trunking radios failed without power to run their sites....

Let's learn by these problems and pursue ways that we can be
most helpful at these times.  As I have always said, there is great
value in the the simple, low tech point-to-point capabilities of the
amateur radio system and skilled operators.

73, Paul Cavnar - NN7B
NNV DEC/OES