Every year brings a different journey and uncharted experiences that drive our growth. At the start, our country grappled with a government shutdown, casting clouds over 2019. Despite this, we reached beyond those clouds and found the strength to not only begin but also to persevere. That grit and determination have carried us through a topsy-turvy year and promise to guide us in the future.
This year was marked by many historical events. Rivers overflowed, flooding extensive areas of the Midwest and southern regions. Meanwhile, the west faced unprecedented earthquakes and fires. Additionally, Hurricane Dorian’s force brought lasting changes to the Bahamas.
In the midst of all this chaos, the human spirit still came shining through.
There are definitely heroes (and she-roes) among us. They show up every day ready and willing to do whatever it takes to restore us back to normal. At Spatial Networks, we happen to partner with some of these amazing folks. We figured out that a little technology really goes a long way, especially in the hands of people responding to disasters.
In 2019, Fulcrum Community users put out fires, cleared roads, restored internet connectivity, and provided medicine and food for thousands of people around the world. To them, we say: Your wings of service and sacrifice lifted us over the clouds this year. Thank you!
Fulcrum impact
The gift of technology truly does keep giving. In May 2019, Spatial Networks began its Fulcrum Ready Initiative aimed at supporting disaster-response teams throughout the world. We invested over $500,000 in products and services to these amazing folks in 2019. The power to collect information — even in disconnected environments — communicate in real-time, and act faster using your cell phone is a game-changer for recovery teams in any situation. We proved that this year as many of our Fulcrum Community members did just that.
During Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, Team Rubicon’s Medic team went to Mozambique with Fulcrum in hand and served over 1,000 injured during those cyclonic episodes, using our tools to document and communicate those injuries to the World Health Organization.
Our NetHope partners responded to the Colombia-Venezuela border crisis with internet connectivity and communications support, restoring communication for thousands of displaced families while using Fulcrum to share installation information.
Instead of fireworks, an earthquake shook Searles Valley, California on the Fourth of July, and Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) was there, conducting damage assessments and reporting dangerous conditions to first responders using Fulcrum.
Yes, 2019 has been a year for disasters. Just when we thought it might slow down, Dorian came, but we were ready. Several organizations responded after the storm, using Fulcrum to report injuries, rescue victims, provide food, medicine, and other necessities in the Bahamas.
Looking ahead
As 2019 comes to a close, we know there is always the possibility of disaster on the horizon, but we also know we are Fulcrum Ready! Thank you to the thousands of volunteers who gave their time and energy to help others this year. We see you and we appreciate all you do. Wishing all of you a restful and joyous holiday season.
Fulcrum is a data collection platform that enables organizations to reduce costs, access critical data in real-time, and improve decision making at every level. With Fulcrum, you can create custom apps using our simple drag-and-drop builder to turn your paper documents into digital forms that your field teams can quickly complete on mobile devices. Fulcrum Community is a no-cost, short-term crowdsourced data collection solution for qualified humanitarian or volunteer disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Click here to learn more about the Fulcrum Ready Initiative or request an account.