Emergency communicationHughes shows Emergency Networking Solutions ahead of hurricane season
According to the National Hurricane Center, the 2011 hurricane season’s biggest event — Hurricane Irene — caused more than $15 billion in damage and killed forty-nine people; this year, projections are mixed, as meteorologists predict fewer named storms but greater proximity to the U.S. coastline
Hughes Network Systems, yesterday announced the availability of Hughes Emergency Services in anticipation of the 2012 hurricane season. The company says that Hughes Emergency Services include network restoral, post-event response, and preparedness satellite solutions designed to provide broadband Internet connectivity for government and business when a disaster strikes.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the 2011 hurricane season’s biggest event — Hurricane Irene — caused more than $15 billion in damage and killed forty-nine people. This year, projections are mixed, as meteorologists predict fewer named storms but greater proximity to the U.S. coastline. According to a recent report in Forbes, hurricanes in 2012 are more likely to develop closer to the United States, which will make forecasting more difficult and reduce warning lead-times.
“This year’s unpredictable storm season reinforces two facts,” said Mike Cook, senior vice president at Hughes. “You cannot predict if a storm will strike, but you can prepare for its worst effects. Businesses and governments must ensure continuity of operations during disasters — which means the ability to respond to immediate citizen and customer needs. But no response is possible without reliable communications. When cell phone towers are damaged and traditional circuits flooded, satellite broadband service ensures that organizations can respond to the disaster and maintain day-to-day operations like sending emails, processing orders, sharing information and checking inventory.”
Hughes recommends that businesses and government agencies should follow these steps to stay connected during hurricane season 2012:
• Have a back-up generator and plenty of batteries on hand. Maintaining electrical power will be a top priority because without it, organizations cannot ensure an Internet connection.
• Subscribe to a resilient, high-speed Internet service, such as satellite broadband, so that decision-makers and emergency operators can stay connected even if terrestrial networks fail.
• Prepare and protect critical data. Evaluate which applications and information systems are essential. This can include Continuity of Operations (COOP) and emergency response plans, accounting documents, inventory logs, and constituent information. Organizations should back-up information frequently and store the data in a safe, secure and dependable facility. Since data may be lost due to flooding, consider storing it at an off-site location.
• Keep at least one corded phone connected to a wall jack to ensure that offices have telecommunications service in the event of an electrical-only outage.
• Do not hesitate to go on alert. If a facility is at risk of losing service for an extended period of time, put its Web host provider on alert.
