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

Cities and governments across the world are leveraging connected devices to help improve public safety, environmental friendliness, and constituent experience. These smart cities, including Singapore and Boston, are using Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices to support their first responders. From digital signage and smart traffic to utility monitoring and connected

In many of the world’s developing nations, there is a vast ecosystem of non-governmental organizations (NGO) working feverishly to help improve the quality of life. Operating in these places can be dangerous, as access to secure communications can be limited or inconsistent. After a career in the U.S. Marine Corps,

COVID-19 presents an immediate challenge to emergency management organizations responding to secondary disasters like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. As ventilators, tests, and personal protective equipment flood our newsfeeds, we can’t forget the basic need underlying any disaster response: communications. With threats from cybersecurity to climate change, communications challenges were mounting

The global COVID-19 pandemic has left many state and local governments, hospitals and first responders scrambling to find the medical equipment, hospital beds and resources they need to keep up with the incredible influx of sick patients. With so many new cases and hospitalizations, these organizations are turning to temporary

For this month’s spotlight, we interviewed Raphael Abrams, the lead of hardware engineering at goTenna. As the company’s first employee, he developed goTenna’s two generations of consumer hardware  and has since led the transition to their tactical-grade goTenna Pro line.  Today also happens to be the one year anniversary since

Public safety agencies and organizations across the globe are becoming increasingly smartphone-centric. In a recent webinar hosted by the International Public Safety Association, panelist Dale Stockton said, “When you consider the sheer utility and overall functionality, [smartphones] have become the tech equivalent of the proverbial Swiss Army knife.”  It’s this

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are flying high above today’s battlefields, special events, and disaster zones to provide critical situational awareness to tactical teams on the ground. But what happens when that military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) mission or wildfire survey lasts days at a time? Untethered drones can only stay