Starlink Internet Will Provide Emergency Internet Services for Southeast Colorado

~Anne Boswell

"Layers of communication, there's never enough, not with what is going on with society today!"

Bent County Emergency Manager Lisa Smith spoke passionately about protecting the people of Southeast Colorado when she presented county commissioners a solution to a communication challenge at a recent meeting.

Smith explained that using satellite internet service provider Starlink would be a much better way in some areas of the county.

"So that if we're out somewhere where we don't have any communication, radio, phone we'll have a way to communicate, because it's going to go right to the satellite and come back down, and by-pass, we just think there would be a huge advantage, if we have a major event, across counties."

Smith said the other counties in Southeast Colorado would also be using the Starlink service. The system was purchased with funds from Homeland security. She felt it was an affordable way to provide a reliable communication back up for the region. The cost per month to keep an account with Starlink is just five dollars to be placed in what she explained is an idle mode. In the event the county would need to use the service, they would be charged according to use. It was vital that they come up with a plan as part of emergency planning.

"We felt the need because of the canyons down here some of those spots where we don't get good communication. We need to have tools available so if there's an event down in the canyons or someplace else, we can set up the Starlink system and communicate outside of the space we're in."

Part of the responsibility of Emergency Managers of counties is to have multiple back-ups for communication, along with back-ups for power, water and oxygen. They are currently in the process of buying an oxygenator which can refill oxygen for residents in the event of a long term power outages.

"We're looking at trying to prepare the whole southeast region," Smith finished.

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