Forest fires have swept over 7 million hectares in Yakutia, burning out an area comparable to that of a small European country. Residential buildings and social infrastructure have been damaged, in some places there is no electricity supply, and communication facilities are not available.
To restore the Internet in rural areas and put in place facilities for prompt notification of local inhabitants, specialists of the regional telecom operator ArcticTelecom use VSAT satellite communication stations and the capabilities of the Express-AM5 satellite at 140° E orbital position. Television, radio and satellite Internet are now available in almost all affected settlements thanks to the efficient work of the ArcticTelecom engineers.
“A satellite is the most reliable means of communication both in the process of eliminating the consequences of disasters and in preventing them. Every year in Russia, up to one hundred emergencies occur, involving shutdowns of ground networks. The reliability of the satellite network on such occasions is almost 100 percent. But for the system to work smoothly in emergency situations, it must be within reach of local inhabitants and, naturally, of emergency services. In the event of disaster, there is no time to set up equipment and train personnel.
In Yakutia, satellite communication networks were built in 2005 and integrated into the region’s general communication infrastructure. In the current situation of forest fires, this plays a key role in the prompt restoration of communications in the republic,” emphasizes Alexey Volin, RSCC General Director.