Special issue on ‘wireless technologies advances for emergency and rural communications’

Abstract

Wireless communications for public safety, emergency communications and delivery of wideband services to rural communities are topics of primary social relevance which are being increasingly investigated.Whenever regular communications channels are down and/or commercial electric power systems have failed or are overloaded, temporary and reliable back-up systems must be timely put into operation.Information dissemination in times of natural and man-made disasters are fundamental in support of public safety agencies, e.g. in order to provide quick response and support to populations in situations such as floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, etc. Novel broadband wireless data systems can offer fast and effective access to databases for retrieving audio video and geographical information that can be helpful to improve efficiency of the personnel involved in the emergency.