Tasmanian firefighters praised for saving NBN satellite from Huon Valley bushfire
The NBN boss has expressed his gratitude to the Tasmanian firefighters who helped save a satellite dish that supplies internet to thousands of remote Australians. PICTURES OF THE STATION UNDER THREAT
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THE National Broadband Network boss has expressed his gratitude to the Tasmanian firefighters who helped save a satellite dish that supplies internet to thousands of remote Australians.
As the fierce Huon Valley bushfire bore down on the NBN earth station on January 29, worried staff watching via a live video stream in Melbourne called in the Tasmania Fire Service for help.
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The blaze hit about 3pm with firefighters battling flames for several hours to prevent any damage to the facility off Braeside Rd in Castle Forbes Bay.
Photos from the aftermath show just how close the fire came to the infrastructure, with scorched bushland now within a whisker on three sides.
NBN network chief executive Stephen Rue said he was extremely grateful for TFS staff and volunteers who helped defend the facility.
“On behalf of NBN and the Australians who are serviced by this vital piece of national infrastructure, I’d like to thank the TFS and volunteers who ensured the Earth station was protected from damage,” he said.
“We value the close working relationship we have with you and thank you for ensuring there was no disruption to the service we provide.”
The multimillion-dollar satellite dish is one of only eight in the country.
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The NBN said it serves customers in remote parts of Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Lord Howe Island, and is often the only internet people can get where they live.
Tens of thousands of internet users rely on the piece of infrastructure and would have suffered service disruptions if the site was lost.
The satellite dish remained operational throughout the “hairy moment” and customers interstate wouldn’t have known it was threatened.
The satellite dish was designed to withstand ember attack, with a cleared area around it — but the company said it was reassuring to have real people with real hoses standing in the building when the fire hit.
The site was commissioned in 2016.
Firefighters are continuing to strengthen containment lines to protect assets like the NBN satellite dish and the environment.
“Fire trucks and aircraft will be working with our priorities being to protect life, communities and infrastructure,” TFS deputy chief officer Bruce Byatt said.
jack.paynter@news.com.au
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