[Satellite TODAY 05-02-13] The U.S. White House has honored Steve Birnbaum, the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) chairman of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HA/DR) Programs, as “Champion of Change” for providing expert and innovative assistance that enabled a locally-driven community response through the use of High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) communications during the Hurricane Sandy relief operations and set the stage for more effective disaster preparedness worldwide.

 

    In the aftermath of this massive hurricane that struck the U.S. in October 2012, Birnbaum was deployed by GVF to work as an inaugural member of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Innovation Team, which – with support from GVF Members – concentrated combined efforts in the most devastated areas, and helped implement FEMA’s “Whole of Community” approach to disaster response.

 

     “The White House’s recognition of GVF’s HA/DR Chairman as a ‘Champion of Change’ is a tribute to Steve Birnbaum’s dedication and sets the stage for expanded use of satellite communications for disaster preparedness and relief throughout the world as a tool to empower grassroots community-led response and recovery,” David Hartshorn, GVF secretary general, said in a statement.