Bluesocket™ in Haiti

On January 12th, 2010, Haiti was rocked by a devastating earthquake. Individuals, governments, charities, and corporations responded with donations of all kinds but Bluesocket made a special contribution. Medical professionals rely on mobile connectivity to maximize their efficiency. Wi-Fi connectivity was sparse in Haiti before the earthquake and was practically non-existent after the earthquake. Recognizing this need, Bluesocket responded by donating both the wireless LAN technology and an engineer to carry out the installation. Bluesocket installed vital wireless access points at a Haitian hospital to connect wireless devices and lap tops which are essential for efficient medical care.

A Bluesocket engineer, Duane Compton, joined a local Massachusetts relief mission to install wireless connectivity at the Pierre Payen Hospital, located 40 miles outside of Port-au-Prince. 

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A Boston based mission, driven by concerned local families and schools in the region, set out to provide assistance in Haiti immediately after the huge earthquake. A local philanthropist and contributing companies grew the mission into one of the largest private relief efforts to the region.

On Saturday, March 6th, 2010, a jetliner donated by Dow Chemical and fueled by Exxon flew to Haiti with a team of local doctors and nurses along with medical supplies. Technology also accompanied this team and included used cell phones, solar cell phone chargers, and telecommunications gear. A key individual in this team was Bluesocket engineer Duane Compton whose mission was to set up the company’s versatile WLAN technology, which included access points and controllers.

The Bluesocket technology provided both internal connectivity as well access to the Internet via a satellite dish. The network and internet access enabled the doctors to consult with each other, order supplies, and discuss cases with their colleagues back in the US.

"The communications in Haiti were stressed and we wanted to make an essential contribution to enhance communications. We will continue to contribute our wireless technology to areas where we can assist with communication challenges," said Mads Lillelund, CEO of Bluesocket, Inc.

In addition to providing wireless access to the hospital, Bluesocket set up Microsoft SharePoint WSS for the doctors to help them collaborate on site and with their teams in the US. Bluesocket is encouraging other local companies to contribute critical technology to Haiti.