Even though the force of its winds was downgraded to a tropical storm as it reached the U.S. coastline, Hurricane Irene still whipped the Eastern Seaboard with high winds and torrential rainfall, causing power outages and flooding in countless communities. One of the hardest hit was right here in New Jersey in Paterson, which had record floods from the Passaic River.
Verizon coordinated with the Paterson Mayor’s Office to provide a mobile communications center to help residents contact family, friends and loved ones.
In Paterson and throughout its footprint Verizon lent hundreds of wireless handsets and dedicated mobile Internet hot spot devices to local, state and federal public safety organizations. The company also activated additional network resources, including temporary mobile cell sites and generators, and quickly restored service to assist customers and public safety teams many towns in the Mid Atlantic area including
Verizon deployed a 53-foot Mobile Communication Center in Paterson that offered free domestic and international long distance calling, Internet access, and 110v outlets for charging cell phones and other electronic devices.
The Verizon’s Satellite Solutions Group (SSG) team provided communications for residents who were filing for relief with FEMA (U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration ), making international calls, completing insurance forms, as well as carried untold numbers of fully loaded trash bags for the community center ladies, unload trucks with donated supplies, change tires and send emails. And, very often they provided a shoulder for someone to cry on.
