A location based warning system has been launched to facilitate aid agencies and mobile phone users in disaster-hit areas to interact through SMS text and help mitigate impact of disasters.
The project is a flagship endeavour designed to ensure preparedness and mitigation of a disaster through emergency response, emergency recovery, rehabilitation and development.
Mobile phone operator, Telenor Pakistan, has inked an agreement with its emergency response partners – Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for Beneficiary Communications Project which aimed at mitigating the impact of disasters and extending timely relief to the victims by introducing in Pakistan the first of its kind innovative location based early warning SMS system.
Telenor Pakistan Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Patrick Foley and PRCS Secretary General Mehboob Sardar signed the agreement in presence of Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Anusha Rehman.
Sharing her views, Anusha Rehman said unfortunately, Pakistan has seen recurring natural disasters in recent times and it is heartening to see that Telenor Pakistan and PRCS have again collaborated to develop a system utilizing their core competencies to bring positive social change.
“This is true empowerment, as it will allow potential affectees to proactively lives and everyone can in fact become a helping hand.”
On the occasion, Foley said unlike traditional SMS services which require broadcast messages to be delivered to every subscriber on a carrier’s network, this system allows PRCS to specify a particular region or even a neighbourhood to which text messages will be sent to mobile phones. He said the text messages elicit response from mobile phone users in need of aid, giving them an effective voice on how assistance should be delivered.
Beneficiary communication aims to save and improve lives through provision of timely, relevant and accurate information and support an environment of transparency and accountability through the creation of feedback mechanisms, Michael Patrick said and added this project will engage communities in dialogue and integrate beneficiary feedback into decision making process of emergency response programmes.
PRCS Chairman Dr Saud Elahi said one of the major challenges being faced by humanitarian organizations in natural-disaster areas is lack of early warning for victims that can mitigate effects and save many lives.
The available telecommunications services in the country after these disasters are immediately congested and choked, causing extreme difficulty in established of reliable communication with the affected community. It increases the necessity of a dedicated system that can respond better in such a situation, he said.
The system is a fast, secure and effective communication platform between humanitarian organizations and the community as it has been very effectively experienced during last Haiti quake.
Since it is based on SMS (short text messages) technology, it makes a low use of telecommunications services by delivering localized early warning as well as aid related messages to the affected community.
Telenor Pakistan will work as technology enabler, providing the platform and outreach whereas PRCS will provide the communication system via vendor and user of the system for defined objectives (via interface).
This innovative system will link PRCS with the community in times of disaster, through location-based opt-in service for Telenor subscribers. The service will enable subscribers to receive timely messages pertaining to disaster alerts, relief, pre/post emergency awareness and aid disbursement. The project will focus on disaster prone areas of Pakistan.
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