No Portable Satcom in Haiti? How are They? What do They Need?
on Jan 12 in Disaster Reponse posted Disaster Response Blogs, disaster response communication, emergency communications, Haiti 7.0 earthquake, Haiti earthquake, Haiti Red Cross, humanitarian aid, Portable Communications, Portable Satcom, portable satellite communication, satellite communications by Nancy Harvey
Watching CNN’s coverage of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti early this evening, I found myself gasping at the thought that key relief agencies and media outlets still find themselves struggling to communicate years after Katrina and 9/11.
The Miami Herald was not Connected
When asked in the early hours after the quake hit, on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” what The Miami Herald knew of the developing situation, their Carribean correspondent Jacquie Charles essentially said they didn’t know because they couldn’t connect with anyone there.
“Well, we’re still trying to get through because all the communications is down … We have people en route to Haiti right now and we also have a ‘stringer’ on the ground, but because the communications are all down, we cannot get through to anyone at this moment.”
