Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team deployed nearly 800 times in 2023

First responders across the U.S. dealt with everything from derechos to hurricanes, wildfires and more in 2023. Throughout this challenging year, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team helped provide mission-critical communications support to public safety agencies on the front lines of disaster response operations.

Composed primarily of former first responders and military personnel, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team is dedicated to supporting public safety and government agencies during emergencies at no cost to the supported agencies. The team responded to more than 1,600 requests for support from nearly 900 public safety agencies in nearly every state and Washington, D.C. in 2023. These responses included 789 deployments to support first responders on the front lines.

The team provided public safety agencies with nearly 7,000 Verizon Frontline devices and solutions ranging from repeaters, mobile hotspots, routers, smart devices and drones to dozens of deployable satellite solutions such as Satellite Picocells on Trailers (SPOTs).

Major response efforts this year included:

Wildfire Response:
To help enable mission-critical voice and data service during fire mitigation efforts in locations across the country, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team delivered close to 2,400 Verizon Frontline solutions to public safety agencies in 2023.

The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team responded to 204 requests for support from wildland firefighters battling blazes everywhere from Hawaii to Virginia.

Hurricane Response:
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team supported public safety agencies and the communities they serve during three major hurricanes: Hilary, Idalia and Lee. Hurricane Idalia alone saw nearly 100 Verizon Frontline solutions delivered to public safety agencies in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina as they dealt with the aftermath of the storm.

Tornado/ Derecho Response:
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team responded to nearly 80 requests for support from public safety agencies in 15 states following tornados and derechos. The team delivered 119 Verizon Frontline solutions to first responders on the front lines of emergency response operations following these severe weather events.