Public Safety Networks in Disasters

Background

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the power to help people around the world bridge the digital divide and accelerate innovation as world leaders continue to work towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and related policy frameworks for reducing disaster risk and dealing with climate change.

Increasing public safety and risk awareness before, during and after disasters is critical.

During the ten-year timeframe 2005-2015 disasters exacted a heavy global toll: the well-being and safety of persons, communities and countries as a whole have been affected. Over 700 thousand people lost their lives, over 1.4 million were injured and approximately 23 million were made homeless as a result of disasters. Overall, more than 1.5 billion people were affected by disasters in various ways, with women, children and people in vulnerable situations disproportionately affected. The total economic loss was more than $1.3 trillion.

A framework for reducing risk, and preventing the creation of new risk.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is the global blueprint for managing disaster risk adopted by UN Memeber States in March, 2015, in Sendai, Japan, at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. It sets clear targets for a substantial reduction in global disaster losses from man-made and natural hazards through to 2030, and links with other global accords such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Sendai Framework sets seven global targets and four priorities for action – among them: Priority 1 on Understanding Risk calls for the use of information and communications technology innovations to enhance measurement tools and the collection, analysis and dissemination of data – among others. Priority 4 on Enhanced Preparedness for Effective Response calls for countries and communities to invest in, develop, maintain and strengthen people-centred multi-hazard, multisectoral forecasting and early warning systems, disaster risk and emergency communications mechanisms, social technologies and hazard-monitoring telecommunications systems;

This forum on public safety networks in disasters will promote the importance of such networks and innovations in ICT for understanding disaster risk and enhancing preparedness for disaster response.

Objectives

Overall, this forum on public safety networks in disasters will promote the importance of such networks and innovations in ICT for understanding disaster risk and enhancing preparedness for disaster response to increase public safety.
The forum will:

• Share state-of-the-art global policy and practice for public safety networks
• Showcase good practice and lessons learnt in ICT for public safety from Korea, the UK and the US
• Demonstrate the business case for disaster risk reduction
• Build capacities and network of ICT and public safety experts and officials ICT policy, practice, standards and governance.

Outcomes

• Increased understanding of how public safety networks and ICT contribute to reducing global disaster risk
• Increased engagement of business leaders, innovators, and public officials in ICT for Sustainable Development
• Business leaders - especially telecom providers - see business opportunity in reducing disaster risk
• International best practice in disaster resilient telecommunications system development and lessons exchanged boost learning, collaboration and innovation
• Public-private partnership and innovation sparked