Satellite received their highest score ever in 2011 as a result of the efforts from the past 3 years. Their category included over 100 other companies. “At Satellite, safety is a top priority and this award helps reaffirm our dedication to ensuring safety for our employees, our customers, and our industry,” said Tom McMurdo, VP of Sales and Marketing.

In 2008, Satellite Shelters hired Alan Rupp as Operations and Safety Manager to head their safety efforts by developing a program that would raise safety awareness and support their corporate safety strategy. “Alan has been instrumental in developing a culture of safety within Satellite and this award is just further evidence of the impact he has had with our team,” said Chris Peterson, VP of Operations and Finance.

When asked what factors were the most critical in the overall success of the program, Alan stated, “The support of the entire team, from the executive level down to every branch in our system. They are the real reason behind our success. Without everyone buying in at every level, we would not have been able to drive these kinds of results.”

Satellite Shelters is very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to many more years at this level of dedication to safety. They are raising the bar for the modular industry as a leader in safety.

Local business gathered on October 28th in New Orleans, Louisiana to hear from FEMA Officials and also from their peers about up-and-coming information related to Disaster Contracting in the New Orleans area. This video provides a quick synopsis of the great networking opportunities that attendees had:

For more videos from FEMA, click here: http://www.youtube.com/user/FEMA?blend=1&ob=4

For more information on how to prepare your businesses & homes for disaster, visit these preparedness sites:

http://www.ready.gov/natural-disasters

http://www.fema.gov

http://www.satelliteco.com/disaster-recovery.php

Helen Nelson - ABC Supplier of the Year

Helen Nelson is the Branch Manager of our San Antonio, Texas location. She has worked at Satellite Shelters, Inc. for 3 years and has been in the Modular Building industry for almost 20. Her background in sales and operations enables her to support the sales team while ensuring Satellite Shelters consistently provides high quality products and excellent service to their customers.

In her spare time, Helen also serves on the membership committee for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) – South Texas Chapter. She also volunteers and sponsors many of their annual events including Golf Tournaments, ‘Meet the GCs’ nights, and their ever popular Chili Cook-offs.

Recently, Helen was awarded ABC’s annual Supplier of the Year award for her contributions and involvement with ABC and the construction industry in south Texas.

Satellite Shelters is proud to have Helen Nelson on our team and we congratulate her on this great achievement!

Satellite Shelters, Inc. celebrated it’s grand opening on Thursday, October 6th, 2011. This new facility, located adjacent to the existing facility at 20050 75th Ave. N, in Hamel, MN, is the latest project in the Satellite Shelters’ chain which will help position the company for future growth in the surrounding markets.

“This new 7,400 sq. ft. building will allow us to improve our current work flow and enhance our ability to meet the needs of our customers well into the future”, said Branch Manager, Steve Danielson.

Several members of the Satellite Shelters executive team were on hand to join in the celebration including the Owners/Chairman of the Board, Al Hilde Jr. Mr Hilde spoke to the guests, sharing his pride that the Satellite Companies have been part of the community for over 50 years.

“What makes this so meaningful to me is the amount of tenure that our team members have in this location. The fact that our people want to work here and provide our customers with the best possible service in the industry reinforces our commitment to Policy A-1, the company’s mission of ensuring that we always provide quality service and products to our customers. This is how we are able to grow and continue investing in facilities such as this.”

The Grand Opening festivities gave visitors the opportunity to tour the new facility, meet the Satellite Team, enjoy an old fashioned pig roast, and enter to win some really nice gifts. Customers also had an opportunity to see a simulation of our products in action as there were several mobile offices set up for display that included products from partner vendors such as Cort Furniture, On Site Sanitation, and Dais Alert Security Systems.

Satellite Shelters appreciates those who helped with the event and those who attended, and look forward to the future business opportunities together.

These buildings are available in the great state of Texas and feature 4 rooms with separate entrances. They can be painted to match the surrounding architecture and are perfect for any school, commercial office, or small business. They can be used as classrooms, administrative offices, special event / banquet rooms, conference rooms, libraries / media rooms, cafeteria space, and more.

Watch our new video here:

You can check out our other great educational buildings by visiting www.satelliteco.com and viewing our educational inventory pages.

“The Dog Days” refers to the sultriest period of summer from about July 3rd to August 11th when the sun is high and it’s hot & muggy outside. Sirius is the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation and is thusly named, The Dog Star. In early times, observers of the night sky from the Mediterranean area noticed that Sirius rose and set with the sun. Hence, this period of time from 20 days before this conjunction to 20 days after, was named “The Dog Days“, after The Dog Star.

There have already been record breaking heat waves throughout the country this summer. To help arm you and your loved ones against heat related illnesses, please take care to remember the following symptoms about how excessive heat can affect your body.

There are different types of heat related illnesses ranging from those that cause temporary discomfort to the generally fatal condition known as heat stroke.

Heat Cramps: painful muscle spasms in the arms, legs, or abdomen. Body temperature will usually remain normal and the skin will feel moist and cool, but sweaty.

Heat Syncope (Fainting): sudden onset of dizziness or fainting after exposure to high temperatures. Skin will appear pale and sweaty, but cool to the touch. The pulse may be weakened, but the heart rate is usually rapid. Body temperature will remain normal.

Heat Exhaustion: This is a warning that the body is getting too hot. A person with heat exhaustion may be thirsty, giddy, weak, uncoordinated, nauseous, or sweating profusely. Body temperature is usually normal and the heart rate will be normal or elevated. Skin is usually cold and clammy. Those most prone to heat exhaustion include the elderly, people with high blood pressure, and those working or exercising in hot temperatures.

Heat Stroke: This is a serious, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body loses the ability to control its temperature. During a heat stroke, a fever develops that rapidly rises to dangerous levels within minutes. Body temperatures will usually be 104 F or more. Other symptoms may include confusion, combativeness, bizarre behavior, feeling faint, staggering, strong/rapid pulse, dry flushed skin, or lack of sweating. Delirium or coma can result from heat stroke. Victims of heat stroke must seek immediate medical attention as it can be fatal if not treated.

The information herein is meant as an informational FYI only and is not complete or meant to substitute professional medical advice. If you believe a person’s life is in danger due to a heat related illness, seek professional medical help immediately or call 9-1-1.

Satellite Shelters, Inc. wishes you a fun, but safe, summer!

Discover more information about Satellite Shelters, Inc. at our website: www.satelliteco.com

Dog Days Origin information from the Dog Days article found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_Days
Heat Related Illnesses information from the How to Recognize a Heat-Related Illness article found at: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=63208

Our latest blog offers some helpful tips and things to consider when creating your Disaster Plan. Read it here: Be Prepared Next Time Disaster Strikes

Keep in mind that these tips are in no way completely inclusive, but are here to provide a helpful hand to start the flow of ideas. Feel free to add your ideas for how to prepare before or recover from a disaster in the comments below.

2011 has already proven to be a year of incredible loss due to natural disasters and unfortunately there will most assuredly be more to come. As a nation, we must step in and help the victims of disaster to recover and try to help them put their lives back together. We have seen all areas of the country and world effected by disasters of every imaginable sort, but yet we still believe it could never happen to us. It’s time to take a hard look at our own disaster recovery plans and make sure that we are as prepared as possible to survive and pick up the pieces afterward. Here are some tips to help ensure that you are ready for whatever nature has to throw at you.

Have a written plan of what to expect and how you will handle it. Here are some things to consider.

Individuals

1. How will you know family members are safe?
• Have a designated meeting place.
• Think about how you will communicate without phones or during power outages.
2. Power Outages
• Lights
• Heating
• Air Conditioning / Fans
• Radio / TV News
3. No Food or Water
4. Access to roads for basic conveniences
5. How many days without service should you expect?

Take time to discuss as a family what to do in case of a natural disaster.

Businesses

1. Do you have a severe weather or evacuation plan in place?
2. How will you communicate with employees?
3. How will you communicate the company status with your customers?
4. Do you have a back up plan for phones and computer services?
5. If your facility is damaged, where will you base your operations?

Take time to discuss with the entire staff so everyone will have an idea of what to expect.

These suggestions are by no means meant to be all inclusive, but instead more thought provoking to get you thinking about what it would mean to you if a natural disaster occurred.

There are many great websites that can help you be more prepared and offer suggestions on how to build an effective disaster recovery plan. Here are only a few:

1. www.fema.gov/areyouready
2. www.redcross.org
3. www.getreadygear.com
4. www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness

When it’s time to start the rebuilding process, Satellite Shelters, Inc. can be a great place to start. www.satelliteco.com

Satellite Shelters, Inc. is a privately held, Veteran-Owned, Small Business headquartered in Minneapolis, MN with branch offices across the US. For over 35 years, Satellite Shelters, Inc. has been a national provider of temporary and permanent space solutions including, Mobile Offices, Modular Buildings, Ground-Level Offices, Storage Containers, and Blast Resistant Modules. Their superior customer service philosophy helps define the company. Satellite provides one of the newest fleets of Mobile Offices in the industry and their qualified personnel can also assist with design, engineering, construction management, maintenance programs, and permitting.

Bechtel Corporation, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, is one of the world’s premier engineering, construction, and project management companies. Since it founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 23,000 projects in 140 countries and on all 7 continents. Today, it’s 52,700 professional and craft employees are teamed with customers, partners, and suppliers on hundreds of projects in nearly 50 countries.

Contacts
Satellite Shelters, Inc. The First In Space
Suzann Robinson, Director of Strategic Accounts
Phone: (972) 393-2000
Email: SuzannR@satelliteco.com
Website: www.satelliteco.com

Mobile Offices and Modular Buildings from Satellite Shelters, Inc. are a great way to continue your business’ and organization’s operations while your permanent facilities are repaired and remodeled. With national resources and partnerships with suppliers mirroring our branches, your organization can be up and running with minimal down-time. In addition to office space, we can also provide portable classrooms, administrative offices, lunch rooms, and even activity space to be used for congregations or sporting events.

We can guide you through the process and make sure your organization is covered by having Satellite Shelters, Inc. listed as the “Emergency Space Provider” in your business’ continuity or disaster plan.

When state, county, and city communities come together to decide on a plan for temporary and permanent growth in the event of a crises, it is important to have a multitude of resources to assist where your families work, worship, educate, and socialize. Satellite Shelters, Inc. can be that partner. We are a company that you can count on for quality Mobile Offices, Modular Buildings, Portable Classrooms, and Storage Solutions.

About Satellite Shelters, Inc.
For over 35 years, Satellite Shelters, Inc. has been a national provider of temporary and permanent space solutions including Mobile Offices, Modular Buildings, Ground-Level Offices, Storage Containers, and Blast Resistant Modules. Visit their website at www.satelliteco.com for more information.

About the Author
Rachel Lamport is a Sales Representative for Satellite Shelters, Inc. She has over 13 years of experience in the Mobile Office and Modular Building industry. You can reach Rachel at 816-453-1101 or by e-mail at RachelL@satelliteco.com