A MOBILE, SATELLITE BASED,
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
PLATFORM
emergency.lu is a mobile, satellite
based, telecommunications
platform, created to re-establish
communication (internet, phone)
after a disaster, to support
the coordination efforts of
humanitarian organisations in
the field and to contribute to
saving lives during humanitarian
emergencies.
When disaster strikes, equipment
and personnel can be deployed
to the affected area by LearJet
in less than twelve hours.
Communication services can
also be provided in the context of
chronic crises, especially in very
remote areas.
A PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP
emergency.lu is a public-private partnership
between the Luxembourg Government
and three Luxembourg companies (SES
Techcom Services, Hitec Luxembourg and
Luxembourg Air Ambulance S.A.), which
developed the solution and have operated it
since January 2012.
The emergency.lu system was created in
close collaboration with the World Food
Programme (WFP), the global lead agency of
the emergency telecommunications cluster
(ETC).
Luxembourg provides the emergency.lu
services as a free global public good to the
humanitarian community. The same services
are also offered to the population and the
governments of the affected countries.
DEVELOPED AFTER THE HAITI
EARTHQUAKE IN 2010
Upon their return, in January 2010, the
humanitarian rescue teams pointed out the
lack of coordination of international aid in
Port-au-Prince due to the destruction of the
existing telecommunications infrastructure.
As the first 72 hours after a disaster are
crucial for saving lives, rapid and organised
aid on the spot is essential.
Faced with this problem, Luxembourg’s
Directorate for Development Cooperation
and Humanitarian Affairs saw the need for
a mobile and deployable solution and this
led to the development of the emergency.lu
platform.
EMERGENCY.LU DEPLOYMENTS
In November 2013, emergency.lu was
deployed for the firrst time in response to
a major natural disaster immediately after
typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. Four
terminals and six volunteers were dispatched
there in response to a request from the
ETC (Emergency Telecommunications
Cluster) and as part of an IHP (International
Humanitarian Partnership) mission to
support OCHA (Office for Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs).
Since 2012, multiple terminals have been
maintained in South Sudan, Mali, Venezuela
and Nepal. Furthermore, five systems were
sent to West Africa to contribute to the fight
against the Ebola epidemic.
During 2015, as a response to the
earthquakes in Nepal, the emergency.lu
solution was deployed to re-establish
telecommunication services in the region.
Through close collaboration with colleagues
from the Belgian first aid and support team
(B-FAST), volunteers travelled on a Belgian
military plane to Kathmandu. In total four
emergency.lu systems and six volunteers
were deployed in Nepal.
In March 2016, UNICEF asked emergency.lu
to help them install a rapid deployment
satellite terminal in Guinea to fight off an
Ebola epidemic in the eastern part of the
country.
After hurricane Matthew struck Haiti in
October 2016, two terminals and two
volunteers were deployed in response
to a request from the WFP (World Food
Programme).
TWO TYPES OF TERMINALS
1
2
RAPID DEPLOYMENT TERMINALS
The Rapid deployment terminals are pre-
configured and ready to be deployed. The
kit consists of an inflatable 2.4m satellite
antenna.
REGULAR DEPLOYMENT TERMINALS
Powerful, high performance satellite
communication system for long-term
missions and a large number of users.
Advanced communication services for all
humanitarian actors supporting disaster
relief and reconstruction.
plan K
emergency.lu
6, rue de la Congrégation | L-1352 Luxembourg | Phone: (+352) 247 82351 | E-mail : info@emergency.lu
www.emergency.lu | www.gouvernement.lu/cooperation | www.facebook.com/emergency.lu
Photo credit: emergency.lu
Photo credit: Pierre-Michel Virot - WHS