Critical services kept running despite natural disaster

Vertel’s support moment of truth happens every day, from service desk, to the NOC to the field services team, to the shared services team that keeps everything ticking along in the background. However, when disaster strikes Vertel goes above and beyond to ensure the connectivity of its critical services.

Australia is a vast continent, regularly subject to weather extremes from long spells of drought to intense tropical storms and cyclones. In recent weeks much of Queensland and northern New South Wales has been battered by tropical cyclone Debbie, the most dangerous cyclone to hit Australia since 2011’s Cyclone Yasi. Despite weakening Cyclone Debbie to a tropical storm she brought catastrophic flooding and damage to NSW and QLD, causing more than $2 billion in damages and causing fourteen deaths.

Vertel, a provider of critical network services that to the education, health, community, and emergency services sectors in underserved regions of Australia is responsible for a number of critical services in the effected region, including eight hospitals.

As the region plunged into natural disaster mains power was lost, not only to homes and businesses but to communication sites. Despite battery back up on all Vertel sites the extent of the disaster meant that these batteries would be fully discharged before power was likely to be restored. A generator was required to ensure service continuity.

However road closures meant that air transport was the only way forward. Working throughout the night and with the support of local businesses and community members a temporary helipad was created and the generator air lifted onto site.

We pride ourselves at going above and beyond in key moments of truth, the actions of Vertel staff during Cyclone Debbie are just one example of this attitude and approach which drives us.