When the power is out, cell service is spotty and an internet connection can’t be found, civilization can feel worlds away. This is often the case in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster like Superstorm Sandy, tornadoes in Moore, Okla. or floods in Colorado. When it seems like hope is lost, it arrives in the form of a rehabbed bus with “Mobile Technology Recovery Center” on the side.
Through the ingenuity of the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC), this bus has been a rolling giver of relief to communities struck with disaster, and DISH has been on board the bus, quietly partnering with ITDRC to provide connectivity for the last few years. ITDRC is a non-profit organization that takes requests from communities in need and matches them with service providers to help disaster-struck communities regain resources and rebuild.
The most visual aspect of ITDRC’s service is their mobile command center. The bus is equipped with workstations, radio to integrate with local authorities’ communications networks, makeshift servers, TVs to keep staff up to date and various other equipment to facilitate volunteer operations. And DISH is powering many of its capabilities.
Often, dishNET is the only way communities can reach the Internet and DISH video is the only access to news and information. With the bus as a backdrop at CEDIA Sep. 11-13, ITDRC presented DISH with a plaque thanking the company for its ongoing responsiveness, support to ITDRC and, in turn, communities across America. The relationship between ITDRC and DISH has grown over the years and has become a model for partnerships with other service providers and organizations.
Wherever there is a disaster in need, ITDRC will be there and DISH will lend a hand.
