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A National Early Warning System: Sri Lanka (NEWS:SL)

A National Early Warning System: Sri Lanka (NEWS:SL). Rohan Samarajiva, LIRNE asia & Vanguard Foundation Malathy Knight John, Institute of Policy Studies Colombo, 15 March 2005. Background. Desperate need for a national warning system

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A National Early Warning System: Sri Lanka (NEWS:SL)

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  1. A National Early Warning System: Sri Lanka (NEWS:SL) Rohan Samarajiva, LIRNEasia & Vanguard Foundation Malathy Knight John, Institute of Policy Studies Colombo, 15 March 2005

  2. Background • Desperate need for a national warning system • First contact of tsunami around 0827-0836 hrs Sri Lanka time in vicinity of Kalmunai • Waves kept hitting points further north and south (and then the West Coast) over the next 3+ hours • No warning of tsunami based on seismic or tsunami warnings • No warning based on what happened on the East Coast • Hawai’i changed their entire disaster warning/ response system because 61 people died in the 1960 tsunami • We lost over 35,000 . . . .

  3. Introducing the organizations that produced the concept paper • Vanguard Foundation (under incorporation) • Vanguard Management Services (Pvt) Limited, floated Vanguard Foundation, to conceptualize and implement its corporate efforts in the areas of disaster relief, rehabilitation and preparedness. The Vanguard Foundation will promote activities, polices, and market based initiatives to improve national disaster preparedness, mitigation strategies, and the flow of expertise to meet and deal with a wide variety of national disasters.

  4. Introducing the organizations that produced the concept paper • LIRNEasia • LIRNEasia, a regional ICT [information and communication technologies] policy and regulation capacity building organization, incorporated as a non-profit organization under section 21 of the Companies Act, No. 17 of 1982 of Sri Lanka in 2004 and funded at present by the IDRC and infoDev, a unit of the World Bank. The organization is physically located in Colombo but works throughout the Asian region. Its primary functions are research, training and informed intervention in policy and regulatory processes. Its current projects include research in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia that deal with different approaches to network expansion and research on the telecom strategies of the poor.

  5. Consultative, participatory process • International input • International disaster communications expert (Annex 6) • Expert referees, including those at news conference • Local input (Annexes 1,2,3,4) • Local team: Rohan Samarajiva, Malathy Knight-John and Ayesha Zainudeen, assisted by others • Expert consultation: January 26th 2005 • Alumni of Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (out of 143) • Those who responded to the advertisement • Web comments, including on discussion document • Video news conference on 10th of February • Ceylon Chamber of Commerce event on 17th of February

  6. Example of consultative process (1st of 11 pages)

  7. Local information Global information Hazardous Event Response Timely, accurate, unambiguous & credible WARNING Hazard monitoring & detection Appropriate action Risk Management System WARNING WARNING Recovery Preparedness Mitigation Education & awareness raising Public Warning as component of a Risk Management System Focus of this concept paper

  8. What is not included • Hazard detection & monitoring systems, e.g., • Indian Ocean tsunami warning system, including seismometers and deep-sea tsunami sensors • Cyclone detection and monitoring system • Emergency response functions • Police and other agencies responsible for evacuation, etc. • Disaster awareness and education

  9. Why? • Accept that first-best solution is an integrated comprehensive risk management system • But, in an environment of “all talk, little action,” best approach is to focus on critical component and fix it • Chose public warning because it is important, low-cost and solvable, though few are paying attention to it and because we have expertise • Our model  http://www.partnershipforpublicwarning.org/ppw/docs/11_25_2002report.pdf

  10. Why public warning? • “Public safety is a fundamental duty of . . . government. . . . Government provides for first responder and emergency management infrastructure to prevent hazards from becoming disasters and to lead the response and recovery from disasters when they do happen. Public safety is a challenge for business and industry. Safety is a key element of sound business practice driven by ethical principles, the marketplace, government regulations, and liability laws. Public safety is also the responsibility of citizens who are expected to take action not only to protect themselves and their loved ones, but also to make society safer through their community actions and their jobs.”

  11. Importance of partnerships • Public warning being a classic public good, governments traditionally provide it • Past 50 years experience shows that this may not be the highest priority for government in Sri Lanka • Private sector can complement because of existing resources and performance orientation • Civil society has social infrastructure at grass roots and caring characteristics • Oversight can be provided only when multiple players involved

  12. Parameters of effective Public Warning • For ALL-hazards • Detection and monitoring can be separate, with necessary expertise • Linked to regional and global systems • Also local detection systems for local hazards • Large role for public-private partnerships • Involve the people in hazard detection as well as dissemination and response • Diversity and redundancy in dissemination

  13. Why all-hazard system in Sri Lanka? • Statement at expert consultation: “Sri Lankans are good at installing but not at maintaining” • Problem is more about systems than technologies (though technologies matter) • Have to keep systems in perfect operational order, though they are used infrequently • Best method is to have an all-hazard system that will be used more frequently than a single-hazard system • We can concentrate the best people in one place for the task • Cheaper

  14. Role of ICTs • Hazard detection and monitoring • Equipment • People • The differences between earthquake and tsunami warnings • National or local early warning center • Could include emergency response as in Hawai’i or just the warning center

  15. Use of multiple sources of information from people and organizations in SL • People, through SMS and phone calls to 119 center • 37 regional police operations rooms • Hotels • Other 24/7 365 days/year organizations • Need to assess before issuing warning

  16. Geog. Survey & Mines Bureau Int’l warning systems Met. Dept Etc... Hazard detection agencies Detection and assessment of hazard National All-Hazards Warning Body (statutory body) Private sector, Civil Society Partnership Issue warning Emergency Services Armed forces Media District Authorities Telecom Operators Etc…

  17. NEWS:SL sends warning/alert in multiple ways • To electronic media • Pre-agreed formats, procedures, safeguards • Police operations rooms, through stand-alone communications network • Also to District Secretaries • Telecom networks • Cell broadcasts • “Virtual telecom network” for religious centers; use of bells, speakers • Also on web; no limits

  18. Importance of telecom network • Existence of network • Aceh, Kalmunai, Trinco • Congestion issues • Disaster prepared networks • Disaster recovery • Regulatory issues

  19. A National All-Hazards Warning System • Public warning is • A public good: not supplied by market • CORE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT • Two options: • Government supply: PLAN A • Variant: Government delegates task to non-government entity • Public good is ‘bundled’ with private goods, supplied by private sector:PLAN B

  20. PLAN A: The Island of Good Governance • Government supplies warnings, funded through taxation • Design elements and safeguards to ensure high performance: provisions for • deployment of proper expertise and equipment, • adequate levels of funding, • insulation from day-to-day political interference, and • transparency and accountability (necessary safeguards in light of substantial independence given) Will require large effort and time in order to get it right

  21. Geog. Survey & Mines Bureau Int’l warning systems Met. Dept Etc... Hazard detection agencies Detection and assessment of hazard National All-Hazards Warning Body (statutory body) Private sector, Civil Society Partnership Issue warning Emergency Services Armed forces Media District Authorities Telecom Operators Etc…

  22. Int’l warning systems Hazard detection agencies National All-Hazards Warning Body Geog. Survey & Mines Bureau Private sector, Civil Society Partnership Met. Dept Issue warning Emergency Services Armed forces Media District Authorities Telecom Operators Etc…

  23. Plan A, Variant • In Bangladesh, the Red Crescent Society operates the cyclone warning system • Government provides some funds and meteorological data • Tightly integrated to community based awareness and shelter programs • Many lives have been saved

  24. PLAN B: Private Sector Takes Action • Private sector establishes warning systems • Likely to take the lead • Insurance • Tourism • Can complement national system when it comes into being • Requires government support (indemnification, access to hazard information, etc.), especially if extending outside employees and guests to adjacent communities

  25. PLAN B: Private Sector Takes Action • Private sector supplies warnings • Unlikely that a national all-hazard system will emerge • E.g., coastal hotels will cooperate on a tsunami and cyclone warning system while interior hotels will focus on other hazards This is second or third best solution; something is better than nothing for now

  26. Action… • Immediate: • Medium-term (six months from now): • Long-term: Refer to Section IV: The Way Forward

  27. Key points • Urgent need for effective system to convey information on hazards to all citizens, visitors and organizations • Systems, not limited to technology • System should be at national level, with links to regional/international systems • It should convey authoritative watches and warnings to the media, emergency response authorities, and relevant others • It should be an all-hazards center, with best possible governance and independence • May be complemented by industry-run warning systems

  28. Concept Paper (& some comments) available at:www.lirneasia.netwww.vanguardfoundationlanka.org Sent to President, March 5th 2005 Presidential Commission March 15th 2005 Parliamentary Select Committee, March ? 2005

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