[Milsurplus] Re: [ARC5] Remember the "Failure Modes" Thread?
Todd, KA1KAQ
ka1kaq at gmail.com
Wed Apr 18 09:50:19 EDT 2007
On 4/18/07, David Stinson <arc5 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> Imagine all those emergency responders who
> believe their Blackberrys and cell phones are reliable:
>
> http://www.wnbc.com/news/12339359/detail.html?dl=mainclick
Many of us have been aware of this for years, Dave. Back in the mid
90s I attended a plane crash seminar put on by the NTSB. Many
interesting speakers including the coroner from Sioux City, Iowa where
the United DC 10-10 crash landed after one of the engine fans cut
loose and took out the hydraulics.
Another speaker (Emergency Response Coordinator from PA) presented
information on the USAir Flight 427 crash outside Pittsburgh in 1994.
He mentioned that the *first* thing that happened was overload of the
cell sites, which crippled a lot of folks in different agencies who
had come to depend on their cell phones. The local land line folks
brought in a block of payphones (a dozen or so, IIRC), dropped them in
the parking lot near the Incident Command Center, and wired them up
for use.
But the biggest help by far in his words, was the availability of the
RACES ops. Those with HTs were placed with important officials and
shadowed them throughout the event, allowing access within seconds.
Anytime someone couldn't be located or easily reached, a call was
placed through the RACES control station to the op shadowing the
official, and he was told to call so-and-so, move to frequency
such-and-such, or the traffic was passed there. One of his biggest
marvels was the number of 'channels' (spectrum) available to amateur
radio ops compared to public and emergency services. Police and Fire
had only a handful of frequencies, which also became overloaded and
made communication difficult.
The crash took place in 1994, before cell use had really exploded.
When the World Trade Center was hit in 2001, the same thing took place
(no doubt aggravated by the loss of key facilities on the towers
themselves). During the events in Virginia on Monday similar problems
were experienced when users at Virginia Tech went for their phones.
Technology is great, and truly helps to advance civilization. It is a
bit troubling though, how willing some are to quickly discard proven
systems and technology in favor of the latest gadget - particularly
when the warning signs are so clear. One need only look at a hard
drive crash and do the math...
~ Todd, KA1KAQ
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