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July Fourth is a busy time at beaches, parks, lakes and rivers, and other outside areas as families gather for picnics, sports, relaxation and fireworks displays. Law enforcement and first responders play a critical role in keeping everyone safe and secure. But what happens if first responders lose communication in a disaster?
“If you can’t communicate to the first responders and give [them] the resources they need, you’re going to lose lives.”
Those comments by Frank Sippel, emergency management planner for Cape May (NJ) County underscores Verizon’s commitment to providing communications services to support first responders and law enforcement officials – on July Fourth and throughout the year.
Remote areas in parks, on the water or by the ocean can provide communications challenges for first responders, but Verizon is testing an Airborne LTE drone to provide coverage in areas where service is limited or denied by a weather-related disaster or other issue. Verizon recently demonstrated this drone technology to first responders and local government officials in Cape May County, New Jersey.
“It broadcasts our 4G LTE services from the aircraft to the ground,” said Christopher Desmond, principal engineer at Verizon. “Mobile units are able to lock onto it just like a regular cell site on the highway.”
Verizon has a long history providing communications services to first responders and works to bring together the technology industry and law enforcement to prepare for a variety of crisis scenarios before they happen.
