ICT Emergency Connectivity Hotspot Trailers

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT  

The project aims to locate self-contained emergency communications trailers in 25 identified major urban areas around the United States to enhance emergency response and preparedness operations, specifically addressing Internet connectivity across all disaster recovery phases. Each trailer is self-sustaining, ensuring the resource remains available for community recovery as long as needed, at no cost to the communities where they are deployed.  

Local communities take charge of the ITDRC trailers immediately after delivery and are instructed to use the asset in their regularly scheduled Emergency Management exercises as well as humanitarian and other events before a real disaster situation arises. A trained ITDRC staff member trains local volunteer teams and Emergency Management personnel on the trailer’s capabilities, use, and care. A repair schedule is determined on a case-by-case basis.  

WHY IS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT?  

Successful project completion will result in connecting first responders and community members affected by disasters in significantly less time, decreasing expected response time from a matter of days to mere hours after an event. One deployed trailer provides access to a powerful Internet signal to make phone calls, file FEMA applications or other insurance claims, attend telehealth visits, and so much more. First responders, humanitarian organizations, and local government agencies can connect to critical communications equipment and maintain their ability to respond to emergency calls and calls for support. Because of the quantity and portability of these trailers, this project provides a creative and reliable solution to address Internet resilience across hundreds of communities in times of disaster.