Verizon Frontline deploys more assets for Hurricane Ian’s first responders

FT. MYERS BEACH, Fla. - Verizon Frontline deployed its Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response (THOR) vehicle to one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ian. THOR, the first and only private 5G network-capable mobile emergency operations vehicle of its kind, will augment ongoing support of first responders conducting search, rescue, response and recovery missions in and around Ft. Myers Beach, Fla.

Verizon Frontline’s THOR joins more than 100 Verizon and Verizon Frontline assets already in place in Florida to help provide public safety agencies with a reliable connection for mission-critical voice, data and video communications.

“THOR is one of hundreds of state-of-the-art Verizon Frontline assets and solutions we have deployed across Lee County in particular, and many of the hardest-hit areas of Florida, to support those on the front lines of Hurricane Ian response efforts,” said Maggie Hallbach, President,Verizon Frontline. “As these counties begin to rebuild following the devastation left in Ian’s wake, our focus is making sure first responders have the mission-critical technologies they need in their around-the-clock search, rescue and recovery efforts.”

Verizon Frontline’s THOR was developed to provide public safety agencies with high-quality, reliable communications and advanced computing applications under nearly any condition. THOR boasts its own private 5G Ultra Wideband mobile network and features capabilities ranging from commercial satellite options and an onboard drone to operating the vehicle remotely from a tablet, and more.

Additional and ongoing Hurricane Ian recovery efforts

Continuing its mission-critical communications support, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team has now deployed nearly 400 Verizon Frontline solutions including drones, smartphones, routers, mobile hotspots, and portable satellite assets in support of emergency response operations in Florida.

As network restoration and recovery work continues today, the Verizon network team remains focused on cell site optimization work in Lee County and counties north of Polk, Osceola and Hillsborough counties.

In the heavily impacted areas of Southwest Florida, where commercial power remains out, teams continue working to restore cell sites using satellite connections and portable generators. In Lee, Charlotte, DeSoto and Sarasota counties, Verizon’s engineers continue to move sites from temporary satellite connection (which connects cell sites to the rest of the network) to more permanent connection by restoring fiber cables.

Additionally, engineers have completed designs to use microwave connections instead of fiber or satellite, which offers more flexibility in networking and connectivity deployments.

More recovery efforts can be seen on the Verizon Response to Hurricane Ian page which will continue to be updated regularly throughout this event.