[Satellite Today 01-23-09] SkyTerra is partnering with the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Department for Public Health (DPH) to form two satellite mutual aid talkgroups (SMART), SkyTerra announced Jan. 22.
    The new National Public Health Satellite Talkgroups (NPHST) will join the SMART group network, designed to supplement existing interoperable communications for public health and medical facilities throughout all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands.
    Kentucky DPH has designated NPHST-1 to be available exclusively to state and territorial health departments and is limited to two SkyTerra devices in each jurisdiction in order to efficiently communicate with the nation’s public health command and control system.  A second nationwide talkgroup, NPHST-2, will be available to all SkyTerra devices operated by U.S. territories outside of Kentucky.