Communications Infrastructure No Match for Katrina

jfourier writes "In this age of cheap commoditized consumer electronics and advanced mobile technology, why can't all the people of a city make contact during an emergency? Cell phone circuits filled up during 9/11 attacks and in the wake of hurricane Katrina very few victims can make contact with their families, despite the fact that they have all those mobile phones. The Red Cross is looking to deploy satellite equipment to restore communications in affected areas." From the article: "Katrina made landfall in Louisiana early this morning with sustained winds of 145 mph, but veered just enough to the east to spare New Orleans a direct blow. Even so, flooding, power outages and heavy damage to structures were reported throughout the region. The Red Cross tomorrow expects to begin deploying a host of systems it will need, including satellite telephones, portable satellite dishes, specially equipped communications trucks, high- and low-band radio systems, and generator-powered wireless computer networks, said Jason Wiltrout, a Red Cross network engineer. "

Re:Windy

[Neil Blender]

Wouldn't satellite signals be affected by rain and wind?

Yeah, they don't work if they get wet and the wind can really screw with their frequencies.

Re:Cellular blimps

[BluedemonX]

Yeah, when the winds hit 145mph they could fly away REAL quick.

Of course, retrieving them back from Ottawa's airspace might be tricky, what with international border disputes over softwood lumber and all.

Re:Yet another reason

[greythax]

Yeah, just those annoying blackouts and riots, eh? :)

Re:Money to be made here

[pg110404]

This is probably in bad taste, but why did I have an image of that "can you hear me now?" guy in a rowboat going down the streets of new orleans?

Re:A Rather Prescient Article

[xlv]

but one has to ask oneself, isn't it cheaper to relocate the city and say "Wow, those bloody Frenchmen were pretty goddamn stupid."

Well maybe the French weren't that stupid after all: they did manage to relocate while unloading Louisiana onto the US...