AT&T wraps up exercise session at RFK - Washington Business Journal:

http://noffn.org/article.php?story=staff
This week conducted a network disaster recovery exercise at thestadium -- the largesgt in the company’s history -- that basically tested the emergencg systems that have kept communications going in situation like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other natural or man-mad e disaster areas when networkss go down. It was the 54th exercisd for AT&T, which says practic is key fora disaster-type situation -- from ice storms to floodsx to terrorist attacks.
“In order to be ready -- if there is a true disaster -- the only way is to have It’s not just about the network technology -- it’ about the infrastructure thatsurroundx it,” said Mark Francis, vice president of global networl operations for AT&T. The field has been filledf with equipment forthe exercise, and the whole set was set up in 24 On Thursday it’s being torn down, concluding the 10-dayt event that has welcomed business leaders and governmenf agencies for its show-and-tell portions. The D.C.
fire FEMA and the FCC -- which is responsiblew for critical communicationinfrastructurr -- were on hand this week to understand the emergenc y procedures and what might be needed durin a disaster. “In a disaster the firstf thing you need to worry aboutis power. We bring our own generatora and when we set up the sitewe don’r use commercial power,” said The last similar event was held in 2006 at FedExs Field, but one of the big differences this year is a specia operations function that got folks into leveol A and B Hazmat should they need to enter hazardoue situations in a disaster to do thingsd like fix a network in a A hazardous decontamination trailer was on hand to walk peoplee through the decontamination procese and show how oxygen is “The part that resonates with peopler the most is when they see an actuaol person in a suit,” said Francis.