Wireless Public Safety Networks 1

Abstract

Disasters are exceptional events that are either man-made, such as terrorist attacks, or natural, such as earthquakes, wildfires and floods. Disasters create emergency situations and cause physical and social disorder. In these emergency situations, food, water, shelter, protection and medical help are needed, and the effort needed to provide these basic services to the victims must be coordinated quickly via a reliable communication network. Disaster relief operations typically involves a series of steps including establishment of communication infrastructures, performing search and rescue operations, and providing any needed first aid services. Disaster networks can be classified as disaster mitigation networks and disaster relief networks. A disaster recovery network is a network that is used in the pre-disaster stage to plan effective post-disaster relief operations.