Viasat and Telebras act fast to connect first responders in Brazil dam collapse
hen a mining dam collapsed in southern Brazil Jan. 25, it triggered a catastrophic mudslide. At least 121 people in and near the town of Brumadinho died, and hundreds more are still missing. The mudslide also knocked out terrestrial internet in the area. The day after the dam collapse, as emergency responders searched for survivors, a crew of Telebras and contracted employees arrived near Brumadinho. They mounted antennas and other equipment on any available surface they could find – concrete blocks, office buildings, cable reels, and even mud-mired cars – any object that wasn’t moving.
The 14 systems they installed gave free internet access to a small army of rescuers and their command posts, including a makeshift treatment center. Responders came to Brumadinho from fire departments, civil defense, federal police, the military, community organizations, medical staff and others – and all needed reliable internet.
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