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Ericsson Response on the way to Pakistan

Ericsson Response received an inquiry from the International Red Cross Federation regarding the establishment of telecommunications for the Federation's delegates in Pakistan.

October, 2001

"We are sending Jan Herremo, our telecom delegate. He has exactly the special training required for an assignment such as this," says Dag Nielsen, head of Ericsson Response. Following a briefing at the Red Cross in Geneva, Jan Herremo will be sitting on an airplane bound for Islamabad on October 23. It is intended that he will establish and secure telephone connections for the Red Cross. VHF radio will be used for communications between the refugee camps. In order to secure communications with other regions and with the headquarters in Geneva, Jan Herremo will install short-wave radio. He will also get their computer network up and running and organize satellite communications.
In everyday life, Jan Herremo is product manager for tactical radio links at Ericsson in Kista, outside Stockholm, and it has long been his wish to travel abroad on a volunteer mission. "I have participated in many courses along the way and it is gratifying to at last be able to put this knowledge to use and really make a contribution," he says.

Possibility of one more volunteer

The plan is for Jan Herremo to remain in Pakistan for a month and it is possible that another person will join him to help out. Ericsson Response has also donated 20 mobile phones to the Red Cross, but this is only the beginning of the work that awaits. "When the war is over, the real work will begin. What we are doing now is building up our preparedness for future humanitarian efforts," says Dag Nielsen. Ericsson's cooperation with the Red Cross and the UN is unique, according to Dag Nielsen. "Some companies help out by providing money, others supply equipment, but there is no other telecommunications company that is as active in providing know-how.

No fear

Jan Herremo's greatest worry is all of the work that will be waiting for him on his desk when he returns home. This is despite the fact that his destination is the area that the world currently fears most. "If the situation heats up too much, we will simply move to Iran or some other adjacent country," says Jan Herremo, "But things aren't as dangerous as they seem when you read the newspapers. I am confident that Ericsson and the Red Cross have our safety under control."

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