By SSG Carl N. Hudson, USA
U.S. Pacific Command
CHANGI NAVAL BASE, Singapore - Pacific Endeavor 2012 utilized tabletop exercises this year on Changi Naval Base, Singapore, to practice communications processes and procedures set in place by the Multinational Communications Interoperability Program for future catastrophic events.
“Communications in disaster relief operations can be every bit as important as the food and the water [for the survivors],” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Justin Pickett, U.S. delegation chief for MCIP. “To be able to work together in a multinational environment, you have to be able to test equipment together and then test how your responses are met. Everyone communicates differently.”
The tabletop exercise consisted of placing more than 20 Asia-Pacific military representatives and several non-government agencies in a scenario where a fictional island, Republic of Pacifica, has been struck by multiple catastrophic disasters.
“We have broken down the countries into three groups and we’re actually building communications systems for different parts of the area that were hit by a tsunami and a typhoon,” said Dr. Debora Harlor, Multinational Information Sharing Program manager. “It’s been a great learning experience bringing all the countries in to see what type of communications equipment they have, what could be used in those types of situations and how they could work together.”
Using experience and the Multinational Communications Interoperability guide, participants must use what’s available in order to communicate with each nation to ensure food, water and other aid are distributed efficiently once the problem of landing planes and docking boats has been resolved.
“Once the government of Pacifica realizes that this is beyond their control to respond to, they declare a national emergency and requests assistance from the [Asia-Pacific] countries to come and assist them with response and recovery,” said Gregory J. Flick, director of the Capacity Development Division in the Center for Excellence in Honolulu.
According to Flick, a common understanding and standardization among participating MCIP nations must take place.
“Every country approaches disaster a little differently [and] there is no template that you can lay down and say this is what you have to do,” said Flick. “By having a workshop where people can come and express their ideas freely and build a synergy together to take away best practices, countries [can] re-look at their plans and incorporate [what they’ve learned] into their policies and plans so they can be more effective.”
“The bottom line is to save lives,” he said