Hytera helps with Lombok earthquake relief

A magnitude-6.9 earthquake hit the Indonesian islands of Lombok and Bali at around 6.45 pm on 5 August 2018, killing hundreds of people and leaving many more injured.

To help with the search, rescue and evacuation, Hytera has donated communications devices to aid agencies such as Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI), a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

On the morning of 6 August, Hytera’s Indonesian subsidiary in Jakarta set up a 7-member emergency response team and immediately contacted PMI. After confirming PMI was in need of mobile communications support, Hytera’s local team quickly came up with a mission-critical communications solution, consisting of digital two-way radio, mobile radio and repeater devices.

On 7 August, a joint meeting between Hytera engineers and PMI technicians was organised to go through the solution details and possible scenarios where the solution could be used. That afternoon, the communications devices were handed over to the PMI team.

“About one week ago I saw Basarnas (Indonesia Emergency Rescue Department) was using your devices in the last Lombok earthquake. I am familiar with your brand. When you proposed to donate equipment, I am so excited. I hope that those devices could be used into the rescue as soon as possible. Thank you for your help,” said Mr Sunarbowo Sandi, Head of PMI Headquarters, on receiving the devices from Jerry Gao, Sales Manager ASEAN of Hytera’s Overseas Sales Department.

At the same time, Hytera’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, contacted Blue Sky Rescue and the East Asia branch of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to offer more help if needed.

Gwendolyn Pang, Head of East Asia, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said, “I was informed that yesterday Mr David Yang, a Hytera Regional Marketing Manager from Shenzhen, delivered 50 handsets, 1 mobile radio and 1 repeater to the Indonesian Red Cross office in Jakarta. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Indonesian Red Cross welcome more donations for the earthquake operation. IFRC would like to establish a regional or global partnership with Hytera. Together, let’s make the world safer!”

In a statement, Hytera said it is committed to fulfilling its social responsibilities by leveraging cutting-edge technology and product portfolio to support rescue and relief operations on a global scale. Hytera played an active role in providing support for emergency response efforts following disasters such as the Japan tsunami in 2011, the Nepal earthquake in 2015, the floods in Myanmar in 2016, Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, in 2017, and the Laos dam collapse last month.

Pictured: The Hytera team delivering communications equipment to the PMI in Jakarta. Photo: Business Wire.

Please follow us and share on Twitter and Facebook. You can also subscribe for FREE to our weekly newsletter and bimonthly magazine.

Originally published here.