In the event of a disaster, it is very likely that cell phone capacity will be overloaded, electricity will be shut down, and your emergency contacts will be unreachable. There are communications interoperability solutions such as satellite phones, VoIP, and two-way radios that have already been proven to work.

These solutions can be integrated into metro-scale wireless broadband networks that can connect a whole city or larger geographical area.

These mesh networks are highly scalable, which means the coverage area can be easily enlarged at a minimal cost as the community grows. Wireless broadband doesn’t require the expensive laying of cables, and because it uses low-frequency radio waves instead of wires, it is more reliable in damaged areas.

These networks can also be equipped with wireless surveillance cameras to monitor potentially vulnerable areas or criminal looting so that police, firefighters, and EMS can be notified as events are happening. Police can view the data-feed from a surveillance camera three blocks away and be there on the spot to make an arrest.