Vertel Partners with NSW SES and Life Flight to keep Critical Services in Lismore Live

Communities and businesses across Queensland and New South Wales are still recovering from the devastating effects of recent floods. So, it's little wonder that many customers who were affected had their telecommunications systems interrupted. By way of example, since the beginning of the floods 325,000 nbn™ network services were impacted[1]. Other telecommunications carriers have been similarly impacted.

So how and why did this happen?

The recent devastating floods that swept across the Northern Rivers region in NSW have caused extensive damage to the community’s communication & connectivity infrastructure. Underground phone, data and internet service connections are particularly susceptible to flooding events. As such critical business communications can be compromised during such events.

Communications with essential Government services, such as emergency services and health services, are particularly vital during disaster events. Vertel as a critical communications provider to essential Government services works to ensure maximum resilience for customer communications in anticipation of situations such as floods. Even with this planning for our essential services customers, there are times in which power failures and/or constraints on accessing critical communications hubs may risk our ability to provide uninterrupted service to these critical customers. At these times we work together with Government agencies to enable prioritised access to critical communications sites to ensure the ongoing availability of communications for essential services.

Recently, in the flooded NSW North Coast area, Vertel, along with Life flight and the NSW State Emergency Services, worked together to ensure critical and essential services have remained operational.

Vertel’s highly trained and dedicated crew of technicians went above and beyond to keep the region’s critical government services communications running effectively. Within a few short hours, Vertel’s technicians were able to team up with a Life Flight helicopter to enable Vertel to access one of Vertel’s critical microwave communications hubs. The usual power supply was unavailable due to the flooding and road access to the location was cut off. Whilst backup power was available at the site, for a time, Vertel technicians needed to be able to access the site to ensure continued power and communications operations.

Life Flight, with the assistance of the NSW State Emergency Services, were able to support Vertel in this critical activity.

Our sincere thanks to the NSW SES and Life Flight for partnering with our crew to assist Vertel to ensure the continued operation of communications services to essential Government services who, themselves, are focussed on supporting the local community.

We recognise those who make us great and are excited to keep going above and beyond for the communities and organisations we are fortunate to service.

[1] Relief funding for customers affected by 2022 floods | nbn (nbnco.com.au)