Press Releases
Hurricane Trackers Deploy In Motion Technology’s Vehicle Area Network Ensuring reliable communications through the storm
VANCOUVER, BC and Tampa, FL – August 22, 2007 - In Motion Technology, a leader in vehicle area networks for public safety organizations, today announced that it will sponsor the Hurricane Research Center in Tampa, Florida to outfit a Hummer® "H1" with an onBoard TM Mobile Gateway. Their "H2" vehicle was outfitted with a gateway last year. The onBoard Mobile Gateway will enhance the safety of their crew by allowing them to communicate during storms.
“Hurricanes cause devastating damage in the United States, and with climate change, these storms will only be more common and more devastating. The more we know about these storms, the more prepared we can be,” said Jeff Gonzalez, founder of the Hurricane Research Center. “In Motion’s vehicle area network technology has been proven for mission critical communications, even when no cell signal is available. Its capabilities are more powerful than we realized.”
The Hurricane Research Center is a non-profit organization based in Tampa, Florida, that was formed in 2005 to study the meteorological effects and social impact of hurricanes. The Center put together the safest, most advanced fleet of research vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology to follow and monitor hurricanes. The Center gathers data and video about these storms in order to understand their destructive nature as well as save lives. After witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the way that communications were affected, the Center installed a satellite dish on one of its vehicles to create a mobile emergency command center with wireless Internet access, satellite phones and a satellite fax line. Unfortunately, light cloud cover and drizzle weakened the satellite signal.
The Hurricane Research Center then deployed In Motion’s onBoard Mobile Gateway to provide a more reliable multi-network Internet connection. This turns the Center’s H2 Hummer into a vehicle area network with the best available access to either satellite, cellular or Wi-Fi networks. It also serves as a mobile hotspot for people who have lost communications during hurricanes, such as members of the media and disaster recovery organizations.
“The Hurricane Research Center is doing its part to provide a reliable way to communicate from the field. We are delighted that we have been able to provide a solution to their communication issues and we are proud to be one of their sponsors,” said Kirk Moir, chief executive officer, In Motion Technology.
The In Motion onBoard Mobile Gateway is a cognitive wireless system that turns ambulances or other public safety vehicles into secure local area networks that sense and select the best available wireless network, enabling emergency medical technicians or other first responders to access and disseminate information from the field.
About Hurricane Research Center
The Hurricane Research Center was created to study not only the meteorological effects of a hurricane, but also the social impact of these devastating storms. The HRC uses the latest cutting edge, state of the art equipment, taking research to the next level.
About In Motion Technology
In Motion Technology provides cognitive wireless systems that enable public safety organizations to stay connected while in motion. The company’s complete vehicle area network solution ensures that any IP device can be useful in the field immediately with no modification, connecting to headquarters over the most reliable communications network available. In Motion Technology solutions have been successfully deployed in high-performance EMS, Police and Fire departments in the US and Canada. Founded in 2002, In Motion Technology is based in Vancouver, BC.