under construction Home About Registration Accommodations Contact Congress Partners Awards Delegates Pilot Communities Education Credits Community Partners

 

Sprint's communications resiliency

| 02.26.2008 | 08:47:297597 |
February 26 '08: During the 2007 hurricane season wireless telecomm companies operating in the Gulf Coast deployed communications resiliency solutions to ensure a sustainable information infrastructure. Sprint was no different and has employed a variety of solutions through their Emergency Response Team to make sure that first responders and community stakeholders are able to share information before, during and after an event.
During Hurricane Katrina, Sprint sent its ERT to New Orleans to help repair the damaged infrastructure. Additionally, "they helped out during the investigation of the Virginia Tech shootings. And they were deployed in the San Diego area to support those affected by the wildfires last year," Wireless Week reported. However, most of the time "you won't see the ERT members walking around with logos emblazoned on their jackets. The team members try to be discrete and look like the agencies with which they're working. Naturally, team members carry high-level security clearances to be able to go into most any situation," the wireless industry site reported.

During Hurricane Katrina, Sprint's ERT Director Matt Foosaner was in direct communication with the then-Assistant Commander with the New Orleans Police Department's SWAT team Mike Cahn III. Cahn said that Foosaner was able to send two Cell on Wheels (COWs) and Direct Connect phones. "Cahn gave Sprint technicians a list of police-related phone numbers, and they were quickly set up for priority calling so public safety could access communications ahead of others."

Currently, Sprint has 40 full-time ERT members with an additional 1,000 employees who receive disaster response and recovery training. During a response, Sprint officials say there is a "3-fold" augmentation of the ERT deployment: back-up generators and personnel to ensure continued service; Sprint employees who volunteer in the local communities; and staffing stations with free phone calls or Internet access", Wireless Week reported.

National Blueprint Tags: Response & Containment, Transportation & Logistics, Communications & Public Information, Economic & Infrastructure.