When Hurricanes Strike – Satellites Provide Lifesaving Services Before and After the Storm

“Satellites uniquely positioned to provide forecasting, business continuity, search, rescue and recovery services when terrestrial infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.”

Washington, D.C., October 30, 2017 – The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today announced the release of a document titled, “When Hurricanes Strike – Satellites Play a Critical Role Saving Lives Before and After a Hurricane”. The release summarizes the vast spectrum of vital and lifesaving satellite weather, imaging, and communications services available for hurricane preparation, recovery and response as well as business continuity applications. The document also features a list of many of the current initiatives being conducted by numerous satellite companies in the aftermath of recent Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Finally, it serves as a reminder to lawmakers and industry regulators of the devastating impact hurricanes have had on the millions of Americans located not just on the coastlines, but also inland – far from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

“Since the first weather satellite was launched in 1960, satellites have been helping to save lives by supporting meteorologists, federal, state and municipal disaster planning and recovery agencies, first responders and private consumers,” said Tom Stroup, President of SIA. Over the past few months, millions of Americans in the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean have been reminded of the devastating impacts that can result from tropical cyclones. Fortunately, satellites operate far above the earth’s surface and therefore they are uniquely qualified to reliably operate when terrestrial land-based weather radar, communications, connectivity and data services may be damaged or destroyed by weather related events.”

Over the past twelve years, 28 U.S. States and two U.S. Territories have been severely impacted by Atlantic hurricanes and cyclones, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and thousands of casualties. But thanks to satellites, hurricane forecasting, preparation, search, rescue and recovery as well as everyday business continuity services have all improved. For further details and to view a copy of the document, please click the link below.

http://www.sia.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Mktg17-Hurricane-Document-FINAL.pdf

About The Satellite Industry Association

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: AT&T Services, Inc.; The Boeing Company; EchoStar Corporation; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Northrop Grumman Corporation; OneWeb; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; SSL; and ViaSat, Inc. SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.; Analytical Graphics, Inc.; Artel, LLC; Blue Origin: DataPath Inc.; DigitalGlobe Inc.; DRS Technologies, Inc.; Eutelsat America Corp.; Global Eagle Entertainment; Globecomm; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; HawkEye 360; Hughes; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; L-3 Technologies, Electron Devices; O3b Limited; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Planet; Semper Fortis Solutions; Spire Global Inc.; TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.; Telesat Canada; TrustComm, Inc.; Ultisat, Inc.; and XTAR, LLC. SIA Affiliate Members include: The Aerospace Corporation; COMSAT; Wiley Rein LLP

Media and PR Contact: Dean Hirasawa
Satellite Industry Association
Email: dhirasawa@sia.org
Endeavour Communications