SEATTLE, WA — (Marketwired) — 09/02/15 — Satellite communications technology helped to save lives and reconnect loved ones right after the Nepal earthquake.
Hurricanes and typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, acts of war and terrorism all result in human casualties and destruction of property. They also mean the loss of conventional communications capabilities and often military communications channels, just when they are needed most.
Yet emergency medicine experts tell us the first 72 hours after a disaster are crucial to saving lives, to bringing trauma treatment facilities to the places where they are needed and to evacuate the severely injured. So how do they find out what is needed during the critical early hours?
Satellite telephone facilities, which most have only seen in operation in the movies, are perfect for the circumstances and challenges typically associated with loss of communications. These include both satellite phones and satellite smartphone hotspots that allow ordinary Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones to communicate via satellite.
April 25, 2015 was the day that more than 8,500 people were killed and most man-made structures were destroyed in Nepal, a country nestled in the Himalayan foothills where many of its people live in isolated villages.
Eager to help, BlueCosmo Satellite Communications, which provides equipment for commercial applications, first responders, government agencies and a variety of air, sea and land rescue related operations, equipped Emergency Medicine Physician–s Assistant and mountain guide Jeff Evans of Mountain Vision with equipment from BlueCosmo to get to the heart of the human needs and communication needs to provide greater impact and efficiency.
“Working with a small, fast, mobile team of 8 doctors, patient assistants, registered nurses and medics, our approach is to be the first group into a particular area or village to provide care. We deployed BlueCosmo transmission tools connected to the Iridium satellite network, with GPS and social media tracking and engagement capability, to resolve the ever-changing issues that would otherwise make it difficult to rescue villagers. It was also used by fellow paramedics and medical officers to stay in touch with their loved ones back home who were following news reports that made them afraid for our safety,” said Evans.
The worldwide application of using satellite phone and satellite hot spot equipment and technology in disaster scenarios is growing. Global reliability on social networks to quickly communicate is part of disaster recovery and an area that is not as developed in practice compared to the availability of the technologies.
“Technology will have to continue to evolve as threats, natural or manmade, take new form with the potential to adversely impact the lives of ever-greater numbers of people,” said Ken Grunski, Strategic Initiatives Executive at Blue Cosmo.
: BlueCosmo Satellite Communications is a leading satellite communication company, offering globally reliable phones (hardware) and services (rentals and consulting), using the market–s most advanced technology and contemporary configuration tools for the needs of individuals, corporate clientele and government subscribers around the world. BlueCosmo provides international audiences voice, video and world-wide-web communications — For more information, visit
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Contact:
Pamela Johnston
Cloud12
(973-207-9990)
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