Surfside, Florida - The United States

Just over a year ago it was like moving in slow motion as we watched in horror the tragedy in Surfside, Florida. As 98 lives were lost on June 24th, 2021 in one of the worst structural failures of America’s history. The video of the Champlain Towers South collapse repeating on television. The hope, fear, and eventual mourning that beset all of us observing, let alone that of the families, and the community, involved. Yet, we at EO59 had a special task. Within hours we were contracted to work diligently determining the deformation of the structure, prior to failure, using satellite InSAR.

Click here to read an article from The Washington Post covering our work at the time, and here from NPR.

What unfolded in those hours in our team was an all-hands on sprint against time. We worked with all the algorithms at our disposal, pouring over the data. Coordinating with engineering teams near the site, with the Town of Surfside, with partners, all to ensure we did our best work. It felt that we owed it to those people, to the community. Not one of us stopped imagining it was our loved ones there.

We all learn that in times of crisis governments collaborate, in that last minute. Rarely do we see it happen around us. Yet, there we were, multinational space agencies collaborating, and staff willing to do all they could to help.

In the end we were able to contribute data regarding the structure, and those surrounding it, to the engineering firms engaged in the crisis. Something that is the true role of remote sensing firms, to be experts at the data - not what it means. Yet, that was - and is - tremendously challenging when you’re so engaged. We learned that first hand. Something acutely clear to us, something all of us must know working with InSAR, is that communication is absolutely paramount in crisis, as everyday. All we can do to prepare prior to such an event as firms, as individuals, as communities is not simply a nicety, it’s an imperative.

This anniversary of our remote sensing deformation work in the Surfside, Florida collapse comes at the time of the Russian assualt on Ukraine. Again, we find EO59 engaged in deformation determination of critical structures that lives depend on. See the recent article by Allen Cadden about our work on the Azovstal Levee in the apocalyptic Mariupol.

As you read this, think, what can you do to better prepare your family, community, business for crisis? How can you contribute? Start close to home, in your own world and build the thought experiment out. How can your business be part of the solution? Take a look at resources like Ready.gov where there is a wide range of ideas and guidance applicable anywhere.

How could you deploy remote sensing? How could EO59, and others in your network contribute? If there is one thing that is clear, it is that together we are more resilient.

We at EO59 are a part of the communities we serve. Our hearts go to those who have lost the ones they love in Surfside, Florida and in Ukraine, and around the world. We work for them, and we will be here, at the ready, with our skill for Earth observation InSAR - for any and all challenges.

Today, a year later, the community of Surfside, Florida is on the healing journey. Returning to the beautiful part of paradise that it always was.

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