First posted on HumanityRoad.org - October 6, 2017
Communications Report No. 2 provides updates from Puerto Rico as of October 6, 2017 for status of communications in 34 specific municipalities in Puerto Rico. The report includes municipalities most impacted by cell towers down. It is not an all inclusive list for impacted municipalities in Puerto Rico. Information stems from social media and public domain sources. Humanity Road first activated its Digital Disaster Response Team on Tuesday, September 18, 2017 to monitor Maria and published Situation Report No 1 on September 20. Situation Report No. 2 on September 22, and Communications report No. 1 on October 4, 2017.
Hurricane Maria made landfall at 6:15am on September 20 in Yabucoa, in southeastern Puerto Rico, as a Category 4 storm with winds of 155mph source. The island suffered significant structural damage and widespread loss of power and communications. Power and communications are only beginning to be restored.
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Civilian Teams on the Ground Providing Communications
- Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC): website, @ITDRC, facebook
- Oct 4: ITDRC volunteers and DISHcares satellite technicians are installing Voice and WiFi networks in some of the most remote locations on the island to connect first responders and help families with reunification. source
- Oct 3: The team traveled to Utuado to bring voice and data online for the local responders. Information is now flowing quickly to San Juan. source
- OnSIP: website, @onsip, facebook
- OnSIP has been working closely with ITDRC volunteers to provide temporary, on-the-ground communications in Puerto Rico. The OnSIP Support team is currently assisting technicians with finding creative solutions to establish network connectivity, including phone service, across the island. Technicians have been using the OnSIP app and testing other free mobile softphone applications to help volunteers stay connected in face of ongoing challenges with network configurations on satellite internet connections. In addition, OnSIP has provided ITDRC with local phone numbers for the Miami area, and will be sending 20 Panasonic KX-UT248-B SIP phones to the team shortly.