When disasters damage or destroy terrestrial communications networks, first responders need rapidly deployable equipment to maintain situational awareness and communications. This was one of the central discussions during the 2020 International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE 2020), a virtual event that brought together critical communications technology providers, practitioners, and other industry

Whether it’s the current global COVID pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, or other crises, national emergencies show us who the heroes are.  The Last Mile Podcast recently sat down with two heroes, Source One MRO’s Brad Bihun and Keith Cowell, who are providing solutions to help first responders stay safe within the

Dismounted warfighters and first responders carry all of the communications and situational awareness tools they need to coordinate activities with their teammates and superiors, request for assistance when in trouble, and maintain knowledge of what’s happening in their area of operations and location.  As communications technology becomes more and more

The International Wireless Communications Expo, also known as IWCE, is an annual conference that brings together professionals from the communications field to discuss critical issues ranging from 911 funding and modernization to spectrum management, interoperability, and more. This year, IWCE is going virtual with 48 online breakout sessions from August

Mobile mesh networks provide device-to-device connectivity when centralized infrastructure is either unreliable or unavailable. Whether each network “node” is mobile or not, the defining features of mesh networks — decentralized, infrastructure-less, routing over multiple “hops” — have manifested themselves over the last several decades in different forms, for different applications,

The Last Mile Podcast features in-depth interviews with operators on the front lines of remote and austere missions around the world. Rafael Bobe, owner of LCG Holdings in Puerto Rico, knows the value of reliable and resilient communications networks. He was on the ground during Hurricanes Irma and Maria in

Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters cause frequent damage to centralized cell, wifi, and RF communications networks. No matter the mission, response teams still need to find a way to communicate and maintain situational awareness in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Watch leading UAS training organization Granite Defense

It’s almost impossible to deny the fact that “100-year storms” are happening almost every disaster season. And now in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, emergency management agencies are all too accustomed to preparing for the worst. But emergency response isn’t the same everywhere. Emergency situations in some geographies and

Former Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate recently published a whitepaper on disaster response communications in the COVID-19 era. During his career at FEMA, Fugate heralded the use of mobile technology and social media as more and more communities — and their first responders — relied on wireless cellular

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous strain on the economy, public safety, and the healthcare system. It’s also put a strain on cell networks.  Remote workers have been flooding our information gateways en masse. Telehealth, virtual educational classes, and remote meetings on Zoom are all necessary, but also eat