Verizon has high-tech equipment stored in an Independence, Missouri, cave that is helping first responders in severe weather, like recent hurricanes in Florida.
Matthew Brungardt, with the Verizon frontline crisis response team, says it’s about first responders not being able to communicate in order to save that loved one.
“In the first several hours, it’s chaos,” Brungardt said. “It’s destruction. There’s a lot of things and a lot of communication that need to occur.”
Verizon recently gave us a peek at how they restore those critical networks.
KSHB 41“The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team last year had over 1,700 responses,” Brungardt said. “We loaned over 7,100 solutions to almost 900 different agencies.”
Drones, trucks, satellite dishes and a robot dog each serve a niche purpose and some of them have been sent out to help in the aftermath of two major hurricanes.
KSHB 41“It’s critical that they’re able to use their phones,” said Tony Larose, Verizon’s associate director of network. “You know who you want to get ahold of, make sure somebody’s safe or make sure you know they’re safe.”