Down Memory Lane: Harnessing Technology for early warning - Amateur Radio and the SAWDIS

Image:  Front cover of the RADAR publication.  (Click on images for larger view)

In 2009 I was approached by the University of Cape Town to participate in the Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Research Project.  This project resulted in the first Risk and Development Annual Review (RADAR) publication for the Western Cape. This mammoth undertaking reflected eight years of post-disaster research across the province. The Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Programme would like to acknowledge the contribution made by the many individuals, groups and academics whose support and input made this first RADAR possible. We would specifically like to thank the many researchers and practitioners who contributed their time and input to the first post-impact studies from 2003-2007.  The Risk and Development Annual Review (RADAR) project was commissioned to investigate severe weather induced disasters experienced in the Western Cape province from 2003 – 2008.

Mr Anton Bredell,  Western Cape Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning  presented the foreword in RADAR.  

He explained:

“The Western Cape can be regarded as one of the most disaster prone provinces in South Africa. Since 2006, ten disasters were declared of which the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) classified eight as disasters. These disasters included mostly flooding events as
well as drought and the displacement of human beings. It is my pleasure to present the first Risk and Development Annual Review (RADAR) publication for the Western Cape. This publication is the first Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) report detailing disaster events and critical risk reduction issues for a wide range of public sector, emergency services and development planning professionals and practitioners. The project was guided by a Publication Advisory Committee (PAC) consisting of the PDMC, NDMC, Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) and the Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Project (DiMP) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). During the 2009/10 financial year, the PDMC worked with university partners to strengthen applied disaster risk scholarship and capacity in the Western Cape. This initiative foresees a phased collaborative process from 2009 to 2012 that progressively engages the Province’s higher education institutions in disaster risk reduction research, as well as formal and non-formal education activities. The project seeks to provide an institutional mechanism that brings together the Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC), the PDMC and the four Western Cape higher education institutions in a venture that generates human and institutional capacity to reduce recurrent disaster risks. It also aims at generating provincially relevant applied research outputs in disaster risk science and management. During 2009 the PDMC obtained funding from the NDMC in order to compile a RADAR publication for 2010. This publication aims to provide a consolidated summary of major Western Cape disaster events that occurred between 2003 and 2008. This will enable a wide range of practitioners, both within and beyond the Western Cape, to access post-disaster event analyses and associated data for risk reduction planning purposes. The first edition will focus on the province’s changing risk profile – with specific emphasis on severe weather events from 2003 to 2008 and their consequences – and link this with future climate variability and climate change / adaptation. There is a section on the changing urban risk profile, with a reflection on people who were internally displaced in 2008. It is envisaged that future editions will cover other hazards that may cause disasters in the Western Cape. A special word of thanks to the UCT/DiMP for producing the first scientific publication of its kind in South Africa and for supporting the Western Cape PDMC in its endeavours to make the Province a safer place for all to live in. This surely is an excellent example of pioneering work pertaining to research and it sets the trend for enhancing all aspects of disaster risk reduction and related management initiatives in South Africa.”

Lets now have a closer look at Emerging resources – linking up with local ‘movers and shakers’ where amateur radio also plays a vital roll.

The Western Cape is rich in often untapped human resources. These are local people with kindness and compassion; residents who willingly give of their own time and apply their particular strengths and expertise for the good of their communities. They are also often the ‘movers’ in that they seek creative solutions to the risks they face, often without additional resources.
These efforts by volunteers and civil society groups across the province have strengthened the
capacity of local municipalities in general, and disaster managers in particular. This is especially
the case in far-flung rural areas that lack financial resources. Often building on humble
beginnings and working patiently and tirelessly, these dedicated individuals and groups have
grown from strength to strength over the last few years.
In the course of our research for RADAR, we discovered many exciting local initiatives. This
chapter offers a snapshot of six of them. Each is unique, drawing on a variety of strengths and
expertise and showing how local residents and disaster managers can work together effectively.
Of course, these case-studies are not the only instances of community members actively
engaged in disaster risk reduction in the province. However, they emphasize the value that is
added when risk management efforts are energized by local ‘movers and shakers’.

Harnessing technology for early warning:  Location Mossel Bay, Western Cape

Image: Location of Mossel Bay

 

Amateur Radio and the South African Weather and Disaster Information Service (SAWDIS)

Good emergency management before, during and after severe storms depends on access to real-time weather warnings.  This example from Mossel Bay shows how radio amateurs and HAMNET members, as well as the general public, can play an important role in reporting real-time weather and disaster information – and offer a key public information service during emergencies.
It also illustrates how members of the public, using their own equipment, can contribute
positively to disseminating critical information when and where it is needed most.

Aftermath of floods – SAWDIS is established

Image: Johan ZS1I at his SAWDIS and Amateur Radio Station Desk

For Mossel Bay radio ham Johan Terblanche ZS1I, the poor quality of public information available during the 2006/2007 floods convinced him of the need for a local public weather and disaster information service, and especially an early warning system. With the support of other amateur radio operators (known as radio hams) and the general public, he established the South African Weather and Disaster Information Service (SAWDIS) and associated Internet blog in October 2008. The blog provides up to the minute weather reports, weather maps, photographs, satellite images, and relevant information on disasters around the world. This approach of harnessing the Internet for local disaster risk management caught on quickly, and as an awareness of SAWDIS spread, additional external links have gradually been added to the blog, making it an increasingly valuable resource.

How does the SAWDIS work?

SAWDIS allows information to be exchanged effectively by using the Internet, commercial entities and amateur radio operators. This two-way information flow helps to promote and improve scientific methodologies as well as helping to interpret weather and disaster observations at grass roots level. The ‘high-tech’ element of SAWDIS relies on the APRS RF global system. This is a combination of networks and terrestrial and satellite links that move weather-related information around the world. In South Africa, many areas lack the necessary infrastructure and knowledge to benefit from this global information. This is where the ‘low-tech’ side of SAWDIS steps in. Amateur radio operators receive and share information, linking isolated and marginalised communities with real-time weather forecasts from satellites and other sources. SAWDIS currently receives neither funding nor sponsorship, and is built on the dedication, imagination and skill of its volunteers.

 

Final Comments by Johan ZS1I:

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DiMP) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), the Publication Advisory
Committee (PAC) officials from the National Disaster Management Centre, Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre,

Now why would one write an article about yourself and also about a research project that was undertaken in the early two thousands?  

1.  Definitely not to brag or boast about it at my age as it is rather late to look for attention now.  Those who know me will know that I am not an attention seeker. Neither do I enjoy to be in the limelight.

2.  One reason is this "event" is now historically and forms part of my series of articles called "Down Memory Lane" that I publish on the ZS Link Network Blog to save it for future generations.

3.  Another and very important reason is that I am getting on in the years and this article serves to inform the younger generation that they have a responsibility to serve their local community in time of not only disasters but also when the opportunity arise to generally serve when there is a need for it. 

As the then Mr. Sicelo Shiceka, National Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs indicated:  "Historically households, communities and societies have continuously sought to protect their property and livelihood from extreme events and disasters. They investigated and found ways and methods to improve the sighting, positioning and building of their structures and ways to safeguard their economic activities against these destructive events. These search efforts tended to focus on threatening hazards and their impact on the communities and their livelihoods. However, as populations increase - with the consequence that the built environment increases in size - coupled with the effects of climate variability, there emerges greater pressure on the need for determining and addressing vulnerabilities and exposure to these extreme and disastrous events faced by societies."

4.  This article should be an example to the younger generation in Amateur Radio that there is always an opportunity where you can be of service to your local community.  We as Radio Amateurs have the resources to assist not only during severe weather events or disasters but also on a daily basis and not only in the Western Cape Province but throughout all the provinces of South Africa and even World Wide. I would like to see that radio amateurs increasingly become "movers and shakers" and be energized to assist their local community.

5. I trust that this article will kindle and energize radio amateurs anew to find ways to build  on humble beginnings like I did with SAWDIS and work patiently and tirelessly to grow from strength to strength but most importantly to be of assistance to local communities when the need arises. 

 

Example of the SAWDOS Blog Website looked like:  Click HERE

(Note:  The SAWDIS Blog name was changed to the South African Weather and Disaster Observation Service.  (SAWDOS)

 

Is the SAWDIS/SAWDOS Blog Website still functional and available?  Click HERE 

Johan Terblanche ZS1I

Mossel Bay

10 July 2024