Hurricane Season Points to Importance of Satellites: SIA
Hurricane Season Points to Importance of Satellites: SIA
Important Tool for Disaster Planning and Response
With the Atlantic hurricane season underway and the National Hurricane Center forecasting above average activity for 2024, the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) is encouraging policy and lawmakers to continue considering the vital role satellites play in providing communications and other important services before, during and after a natural disaster. The Association summarized the various services satellites can provide both pre- and post-emergency plus recent industry disaster response initiatives in a new SIA Report titled, “Natural Disasters – Satellites to the Rescue”.
“Satellites have been providing emergency communications and remote sensing data for decades, and now thanks to recent leaps in innovation, new advanced remote sensing and direct to device communications services are now available or are in development, providing even more critical services before, during and after a disaster.”
Tom Stroup, SIA
Satellite networks operate far above the Earth’s surface; therefore, they are not vulnerable to damage by storms or other natural disaster emergencies such as wildfires which could damage or impair terrestrial mobile services. Communication and Earth observation satellites provide government, emergency planners, first responders and citizens with a wide variety of services including telephony, data connectivity and advanced imaging for improved cyclone and wildfire forecasting and monitoring, plus the ability to track critical emergency assets and assess post-disaster damage.
“With NOAA forecasting a busy Atlantic hurricane season and following last summer’s U.S. wildfire emergencies, it is vital for government planners, relief agencies, private enterprise and even consumers to consider the unparalleled level of reliability and ubiquity of satellite services when planning for natural disasters,” said Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association. "Because of this reliability, SIA and many of its satellite industry member companies have been collaborating with local, State and Federal government organizations for years and we look forward to continuing to build upon those relationships.
“Satellites have been providing emergency communications and remote sensing data for decades, and now thanks to recent leaps in innovation, new advanced remote sensing and direct to device communications services are now available or are in development, providing even more critical services before, during and after a disaster.”
Satellite Earth observation and remote sensing has greatly expanded in the past five years and these services have enhanced both forecasting and post hurricane/disaster relief. Optical imagery has long been available for forecasters and meteorologists as well as emergency responders for visual reference before and after disasters. Today, thanks to new technological innovations, remote sensing and imaging satellites are capturing optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), radio occultation (RO) and other multispectral data from space. Such data provides the ability to monitor and track cyclones and wildfires at night and through canopies, cloud cover and smoke. RO atmospheric temperature, humidity and pressure data is crucial as it helps officials forecast and plan evacuations in areas predicted to be impacted by severe weather or wildfires.
To learn more details about the role satellites can play before and after natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires, please click HERE to view a copy of the 2024 SIA Natural Disasters Report.