Tampere Convention eases international emergency telecommunications

When an international disaster strikes, humanitarian organizations now will be able to provide telecommunications more quickly and effectively to help victims, thanks to a treaty that became effective January 8.

The Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations largely eliminates roadblocks to moving telecommunications personnel and equipment into and within disaster-stricken areas--such as those affected by the December earthquake and tsunami.

Delegates to the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications (ICET-98) adopted the 17-article treaty in June of 1998 in Tampere, Finland.
ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, attended on behalf of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, credits Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS, with being "a prime mover" behind the Tampere Convention.

"The Tampere Convention has broader purposes but is an important building block in IARU's efforts to improve recognition of the Amateur Service in providing emergency communications for disaster relief," Rinaldo says.
Zimmermann coordinated work on the Tampere disaster telecommunications treaty while Seppo Sisättö, OH1VR, chaired the convention's organizing committee.

Rinaldo notes too that the IARU led the way for a revision of Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations at World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03) to include an item enabling radio amateurs to handle third-party traffic during emergency and disaster relief situations. While FCC Part 97 has not yet been revised to reflect this change, ARRL understands from FCC staff that if governments of
disaster-affected countries do not object to their amateur stations receiving messages from our amateur stations on behalf of third parties, the US has no objection to its amateur stations transmitting international communications in support of disaster relief.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says that until the Tampere Convention, regulatory barriers often impeded the ability of humanitarian organizations to deploy telecommunications equipment across borders in an emergency, and delays have cost lives.

"With this convention, relief workers can make full use of today's telecommunication tools, which are essential for the coordination of rescue operations," ITU Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi said in a statement.

The first treaty of its kind, the Tampere Convention calls on signatory countries to facilitate prompt telecommunication aid to mitigate a disaster's impact. It covers both installation and operation of telecommunication services and waives regulatory barriers such as licensing requirements and import restrictions as well as limitations on the movement of humanitarian teams. The pact also grants immunity from arrest and detention to those providing disaster assistance, and exempts them from taxes and duties.

In his role as IARU's new International Coordinator for Emergency Communications, Zimmermann, in concert with IARU regional coordinators, is focusing on assisting IARU member-societies to fulfill "the expectations of the international community, of all those who rely on
telecommunications when responding to emergencies, and of those affected by disasters." As a first step in this task, he's facilitating an exchange of information on training and cooperation on all levels.

Addressing that in a broader forum will be the first Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC-2005). An initiative of the Finnish Amateur Radio Society (SRAL), GAREC 2005 will take place June 13-14 in Tampere, in recognition of the city's "long tradition in
emergency telecommunications," Zimmerman says.

Rinaldo also points to ITU Radiocommunication Sector Recommendation M.1042, "Disaster Communications in the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services" as another vehicle to formalize Amateur Radio's role in international emergency and disaster mitigation. It encourages the development of "robust, flexible and independent" Amateur Radio networks
that can operate from emergency power and provide communication in natural disasters. The IARU, Rinaldo added, also had leading role in developing the ITU-D Emergency Telecommunications Handbook, recently edited under Zimmermann's leadership.

"Together," Rinaldo observed, "the Tampere Convention, the Handbook, Article 25 and Recommendation M.1042 represent an improved environment in which Amateur Radio operators can conduct international emergency communications."

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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