emergency relief items compendium of generic specifications

c) Office in a Box Solution
Once the connectivity to the outside world is established, it is may be necessary to provide small office solution for the staff
on location (especially when the VSAT solution is deployed) to provide voice, data, voicemail wireless capabilities to
communicate between themselves and rest of the world. The purpose is to quickly and easily establish an IT office which is
mobile/portable, preconfigured and ready for immediate deployment. There are appliances such as Cisco Unified
Communication 520 that are capable of supporting these requirements.
Power Source
The power source for telecommunications equipment is often one of the following types depending on the location where
the systems are operated:
- Battery
- Generating set
- Solar power
The most commonly used source is a battery which can be charged regularly. Power for battery recharging can be drawn
from the mains, the engine of a running vehicle or from a gasoline generator.
However, when telecommunications equipment is utilized in emergency situations the regular provision of electric power is
uncertain. In such cases, it is better to rely on small self-contained generating sets. Solar energy, also known as
photovoltaic, is a mature technology that has already proved its reliability in numerous situations. The capital cost,
however, is much higher and requires a skilled technician for maintenance and repairs.
Power Supply
This section has been prepared to facilitate the selection of appropriate power generating equipment suitable for
installation as a part of emergency relief operations.
The range of equipment covered essentially addresses the requirements of electric power in an emergency relief camp with
about three thousand to four thousand persons housed in approximately 800 - 1000 temporary shelters.
Camps of approximately the above size are estimated to require about 50-60 kVA to cope with the primary needs of
adequate lighting in the community kitchens and security lighting, whilst also allowing some minimal lighting of the shared
facilities such as toilets etc., and of the shelters themselves.
Apart from the above, there are perceived some specific power requirements for mobile communications and also for a
field office set-up, which are desirable for the effective functioning of the personnel from relief organizations. These
aspects are estimated to require approximately 5 kVA for basic office equipment, and a minimum of 0.3 kVA for mobile
communications equipment.
It is recommended that when power generating sets of the larger capacities are purchased for emergency relief (i.e. over
45 kVA), these should be obtained along with weather proof or acoustic canopies, as available, to minimize the nuisance
from noise, and also to obviate the need for provision of a separate shelter for the power generating equipment itself.
As a rule, the power generating equipment listed in this catalogue will need to be installed and commissioned at
emergency sites. Hence, it is unlikely that properly prepared foundations can initially be made available. These are
intended for standby duty in more permanent installations.
However, the smallest power generators (below 1.0 kVA) are suitable for use without any special foundations, whereas the
larger equipment can be used for several days simply placed on firm and well-leveled ground (which must be able to
support the weight of the set).
Basis for estimating power requirements
For the purpose of classification, the power supply equipment is categorized into the three generic types of:
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