Keeping UK Antarctic Heritage Trust Safe At Port Lockroy
Recently, Iridium supported the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving historic sites and monuments throughout the Antarctic Peninsula. In this post, guest blogger Lisa Ford, General Assistant at Port Lockroy, explains how the Iridium GO! exec® played an instrumental role in their conservation efforts.
Life at Port Lockroy in Antarctica is busy and full of all sorts of challenges but so enjoyable. There has been a lot of heritage conservation underway this year as well as the team going on and off the island most days to do pop-up shops for passengers on ships and yachts and doing presentations about the history of Port Lockroy and life on base. Work on the museum has been progressing well, and the roof beam has been repaired after it was damaged with the heavy snow on the roof last season.
Communications with the UK and ships nearby is key to enabling us to be here. Bridie Martin-West, our Base Leader, sends confirmation each day back to the UK letting the team know all is well on the island. We have been testing the various communication options, including our Iridium GO! exec equipment to enable us to contact the UK and emergency health care backup options.
We have been making sure we have time to practise our first aid emergency training skills learnt before we left the UK. We recently completed an emergency scenario, testing our skills and ensuring we all know how to use the communication equipment. All went very well. Of course, we hope we will not have to deal with any emergencies on the island.
A UK Antarctic Heritage Trust staffer at Port Lockroy uses the Iridium GO! exec to make a phone call.
Whilst we are busy, the gentoo penguins have chicks and all are growing fast. We will be on our way home in March, leaving this beautiful pristine part of the world for the gentoo chicks to finish moulting and have their adult feathers ready for their departure and eventual return next summer when the new Port Lockroy team arrives.
Thank you to all at Iridium for supporting us in this remote and unique part of the world!
