AST Australia assisted the NSW's Technical Services Unit in providing satellite equipment and air time essential for communication. By providing multiple units of the BGAN 500, AST Australia enabled the team to be able to communicate back to the Ambulance network anywhere they are deployed within Australia or overseas.The unit can be packed into a hard-shell backpack and can be transported on a flight as carry-on luggage, enabling rapid set-up. The unit also includes a solar panel charger allowing the batteries to be recharged without the need for mains or generated power.

Earlier this year the unit was deployed to Japan in wake of the March 11th Tsunami. Senior Support Analyst, John Calluy was placed on alert for pre-deployment support the night before the team was due to leave Australia. 'I was advised there would be a high likelihood that further BGAN kits would be required. As the team was departing at 3pm the next day, I only had a small window to ensure the kit was serviceable, checked and tested,' he says.

The major challenge was ensuring the unit was complete, all components tested and operational, and then obtaining at very short notice further BGAN units for standby for additional team deployments.

'We were able to achieve this on the Saturday morning with the help of the NSW State Manager, Vince Brennan, of AST Australia who came especially to Rozelle with two additional BGAN units. We had access to additional toughened notebooks as well, so if the requirement was to deploy a further team this could have been achieved within 12 to 24 hours."

Australia has donated the team's tents, shelters, generators, beds, food stocks and water to help local authorities in relief efforts. Medicines and medical equipment were given to the local hospital.

For more information on BGAN satellite communication unit's click here or contact your account manager on 1300 660 084.

For more information on the NSW Ambulance service, click here.