Circular No. 17/2012/TT-BTTTT stipulates the organization and assurance of communication services to support command and control activities for natural disaster prevention and response.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on organizing and ensuring telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control directive, management of natural disaster prevention and control

Pursuant to the Law on Telecommunications dated November 23, 2009;

Pursuant to the Law on Flood and Storm Prevention dated March 8, 1993, and Ordinance No. 27/2000/PL-UBTVQH10 dated August 24, 2000 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly amending and supplementing certain articles of the Law on Flood and Storm Prevention;

Pursuant to Decree No. 25/2011/NĐ-CP dated April 6, 2011, issued by the Government, detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Telecommunications;

Pursuant to Decree No. 08/2006/NĐ-CP dated January 16, 2006, issued by the Government, detailing certain provisions of the Ordinance on Flood and Storm Prevention, which was amended and supplemented on August 24, 2000;

Pursuant to Decree No. 187/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications, and Decree No. 50/2011/NĐ-CP dated June 24, 2011 of the Government amending Decree No. 187/2007/NĐ-CP;

Pursuant to Decision No. 172/2007/QĐ-TTg dated November 16, 2007, issued by the Prime Minister, regarding the National Strategy for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation, and Response until 2020;

At the proposal of the Director of the Telecommunications Administration,

The Minister of Information and Communications issues this Circular prescribing regulations on organizing and ensuring telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular prescribes the organization and assurance of telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control for the Government, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control (referred to as the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention), and the Steering Committees for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue (referred to as the Steering Committees for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue) of Ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, provinces, and centrally-administered cities.

Article 2. Applicability

) of ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, and centrally administered cities.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

1. Organizing and ensuring telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control means mobilizing, organizing, and utilizing public postal and telecommunications networks, dedicated telecommunications networks to meet the needs of telecommunications information serving the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control.

a. Dedicated fixed satellite communication system (VSAT C-band);

b. Dedicated mobile satellite communication system (INMARSAT);

c. Dedicated radio communication system (HF, VHF, UHF);

d. Special-purpose communication vehicles.

e. Other communication systems as prescribed by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

e) Special-purpose vehicles for communication services.

1. Ensuring telecommunications information for disaster prevention and control with the highest priority, safety, reliability, and speed.

1. Ensuring communication information for natural disaster prevention and response with the highest priority, safety, reliability, and speed. Prioritize the use of local networks to implement command and control activities in natural disaster prevention and response.

3. Exploiting and using the special-purpose disaster prevention and control telecommunications network effectively and efficiently.

Chapter II
4. Investment, upgrading, operation, and exploitation costs of dedicated telecommunications networks for command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response shall be carried out in accordance with the laws on natural disaster prevention and control and relevant regulations. WORK OF DIRECTING AND MANAGING DISASTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Article 5. Organization and Assurance of Communication in Normal Conditions and Prior to Natural Disasters

Communication services for directing and managing natural disaster prevention and control in normal conditions and prior to natural disasters shall be organized as follows:

1. Telecommunications information from the Government headquarters, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention to the Steering Committees for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue of Ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, provinces, and centrally-administered cities is mainly ensured through the use of services of public mobile and fixed terrestrial telecommunications networks and public postal networks.

Article 5, Clause 3. Communication information for government working groups and the Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control

3. Telecommunications information for government working groups, the Head of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention when necessary, is mainly ensured through the use of dedicated communication equipment on special-purpose communication vehicles.

Article 6. Organization and Assurance of Communication During Natural Disasters

1. In areas affected by natural disasters that do not impact the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of communication shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

2. In areas affected by disasters that directly impact the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of telecommunications information to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control shall be organized as follows:

a. Telecommunications information from the Government headquarters, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention to the headquarters of the Steering Committees for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue of provinces and centrally-administered cities and counties affected by disasters is mainly ensured through the use of dedicated fixed satellite communication systems (VSAT) and dedicated radio communication systems.

b. Telecommunications information during movement outside the premises mentioned in Point a Clause 2 Article 2 is mainly ensured through the use of dedicated mobile satellite communication systems (INMARSAT).

c. Telecommunications information for government working groups, the Head of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention is ensured through the use of communication systems on special-purpose communication vehicles.

Article 7. Organization and Assurance of Communication During the Post-Disaster Recovery Phase

1. In areas affected by disasters that do not cause damage affecting the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of telecommunications information shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

2. In areas affected by disasters causing damage directly impacting the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of telecommunications information during the period of recovery from consequences shall be carried out according to the provisions of Clause 2 Article 6 of this Circular.

3. In areas damaged by disaster consequences, after the public postal and telecommunications networks have been restored to normal operation, the organization and assurance of telecommunications information shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

Chapter III
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ENTERPRISES

Implement state management functions for the assurance of communication information to serve command and control of natural disaster prevention and control work and the operation of the dedicated telecommunications network for command and control of natural disaster prevention and control work.

1. Implement state management functions over the assurance of telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control and the operation of the special-purpose disaster prevention and control telecommunications network.

Article 8, Clause 3. Directly direct the Provincial Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control

3. Directly guide the Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue of the Ministry of Information and Communications, postal and telecommunications enterprises, and related agencies and units to develop and implement plans and schemes to ensure telecommunications information to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control and search and rescue annually.

4. The Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue of the Ministry of Information and Communications urges, guides, inspects, and directs the organization and implementation of activities of the special-purpose disaster prevention and control telecommunications network; stands duty, processes reports, compiles situations, and manages the organization of telecommunications information to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control and recovery from consequences.

Article 9. Responsibilities of Provincial Departments of Information and Communications

1. Guide and instruct postal and telecommunications enterprises in the locality to develop and implement plans and schemes to ensure telecommunications information to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control and search and rescue work of provincial People's Committees and Steering Committees for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue annually.

2. Direct, coordinate, and support Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group to organize communication for the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control on the local territory. Advise and assist the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Control Command to mobilize, arrange, and utilize equipment from the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control assigned by Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group to directly managed provincial telecommunications.

3. Report to the Ministry of Information and Communications when requested about the situation of postal and telecommunications networks and ensuring communication to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control and search and rescue operations on the local territory.

Article 10. Responsibilities of Postal and Telecommunications Enterprises

1. Develop and implement plans and schemes for disaster prevention and response for their postal and telecommunications networks.

2. Organize and ensure communication at localities affected by natural disasters according to the requirements of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Control Command and the Provincial Department of Information and Communications to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control.

3. Proactively support Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group and Military Telecommunications Group in performing tasks to ensure safe communication to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control and search and rescue operations.

4. Regularly and urgently report on the situation of postal and telecommunications networks and ensuring communication to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control to the National Disaster Prevention and Control Command, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Departments of Information and Communications.

Article 11. Responsibilities of Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group

b) Coordinate with the Central Post Office to be ready to provide mobile communication services for government working groups upon request from the Government Office, the National Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

1. Ensure communication to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control for the Government, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, and local authorities safely, reliably, and promptly through public postal and telecommunications networks and the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control.

2. Direct the Central Post Office to build, organize, and manage the unified specialized information network for disaster prevention and control nationwide including:

a. Receiving, processing information, and ensuring communication services at headquarters and government working groups as required by the Government Office, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

b. Develop and implement plans to organize communication services for the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control.

c. Closely cooperate with telecommunications enterprises and other private telecommunications networks to effectively exploit the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control and ensure the highest safety for communication services serving the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control.

3. Develop, approve, and organize the implementation of operational regulations (operation, exploitation, maintenance, duty roster, reporting, etc.) for the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control.

4. Direct Vietnam Post Corporation to cooperate with the Central Post Office to ensure postal communication services to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control and search and rescue operations of the Government, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, the National Search and Rescue Committee through the public postal network as required by the Government Office, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, the National Search and Rescue Committee, and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

5. Direct and manage branch units in localities to organize information services to serve the work of directing and managing disaster prevention and control and search and rescue operations according to the requirements of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Control Command and the Provincial Department of Information and Communications.

6. Report to the Ministry of Information and Communications on the operation of the specialized information network for disaster prevention and control annually and urgently as required.

Article 12. Responsibilities of the Military Telecommunications Group

In addition to the general responsibilities stipulated in Article 10 of this Circular, the Military Telecommunications Group also has the responsibility to:

1. Ensuring telecommunications information for disaster prevention, mitigation, and search and rescue operations of armed forces as required by the Ministry of National Defense.

2. Coordinate and support the provision of telecommunications information to serve disaster prevention and control work and search and rescue operations as required by the National Committee for Search and Rescue.

3. Support the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group in fulfilling its mission to ensure the safety of telecommunications information serving the government's command and control activities for disaster prevention and control, as well as those of the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and local authorities at all levels.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 13. This Circular takes effect from December 20, 2012.

Article 14. The Heads of the Office, the Director of the Telecommunications Department, the Heads of agencies and units under the Ministry, the Directors of Provincial Information and Communications Departments under the central government, the General Directors of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group, the General Directors of the Military Telecommunications Group, the General Directors and Directors of postal and telecommunications enterprises, and other related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.

During implementation, if any difficulties arise, they should be reported promptly to the Ministry of Information and Communications for consideration and resolution./.