Lenovo solutions to the rescue

MANILA, Philippines - In times of disaster, speed is of the essence, and it is crucial that disaster management non-government organizations have the technology that they need to speed up disaster responsiveness.

Team Patola, a 30-member local disaster management volunteer group organized in the wake of typhoon Ondoy, is a testament to this. It has been banking on Lenovo since 2009 to streamline relief operations and improve its overall disaster strategy through enhanced data storage, high speed data processing, and long battery life.

“Our commitment to innovation drives us to deliver highly-differentiated products that give volunteer groups like Team Patola the enhanced capabilities and speed they need to organize relief missions to disaster-stricken areas. Through powerful devices like Lenovo’s ThinkPad E430, ThinkPad Twist, and P780 smartphones, Project Patola can better utilize social media callouts and share real-time disaster reports in their disaster management operations,” said Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines country general manager.

Team Patola decided to purchase Lenovo ThinkPad E430 laptops, ThinkPad Twist and P780 phones with specifications and features that matched their speed, data storage, service support, and battery life requirements. The machines were immediately deployed in their base command post and used by volunteers when visiting disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines.

Team Patola volunteers have been using Lenovo tablets to provide real-time social media updates and share on-site photos to help other team members assess the gravity of the situation. Equipped with a long battery life, the tablets spare Team Patola volunteers from the need to search for charging points during their missions. The team has also been using the tablets for their callout presentations.

Meanwhile, volunteers stationed in the base center relied heavily on the back-up recovery and high storage capacity features of the Lenovo PCs. They used the PCs to send disaster reports to help other team members and donors assess the gravity of the situation and determine the needs of beneficiaries.

“With high processing power and the durability to withstand extreme conditions, our Lenovo gadgets allow our task forces to coordinate better and deliver real-time updates during our relief missions. Our Lenovo tablets also help us track and locate our Rapid Deployment Team through effective mapping and GPS-enabled applications,” said team leader Benjo Ramos.

With plans in place to set up a mobile command post, Team Patola intends to invest in additional Lenovo tablets and laptops to create a fast, efficient, and clutter-free central hub. The mobile command post would enable volunteers on site to render assistance to concerned communities better through accurate data exchange with volunteers in other areas. This, in turn, would facilitate effective disaster assessment reports.

“The organization is keen on updating its technologies to enhance its administrative and mobile Rapid Deployment Team. We are definitely looking forward to a fruitful long-term partnership with Lenovo as we endeavor to strengthen our capability to provide immediate relief to disaster-afflicted areas,” said Ramos.