Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Heaton | Three AT&T mobile cell phone tower trucks are unloaded from an Air Force C-5 Galaxy...... read more read more
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Federal agents from multiple federal law enforcement agencies worked with the Air National Guard and active duty Air Force to facilitate the arrival of critical communications equipment needed to restore cell service to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
President Donald Trump directed that the restoration of communications on the island was a priority to support the recovery effort.
The agents, representing the Drug Enforcement Agency, Postal Service and others, worked as part of a crew to interface with the active Air Force and the Air National to bring and erect at least five portable cell phone towers to the San Juan area, to help restore and enhance the cell phone network on Puerto Rico, which was almost completely knocked out by the Sept. 20 hurricane. The mobile cell stations are owned and operated by AT&T. A company spokesman said the towers are frequently used for natural disasters and at large public events in the U.S. Moving the towers to the island marked the first time they had ever been flown to a location.
“We can put them where ever they are needed and once an area gains stable cell communication, we can move them to the next location,” said Col. Rick Seymour, Alabama National Guard, who is helping to coordinate the effort.
Moving the portable towers required the Air Force’s heaviest airlifter – the C-5 Galaxy, flown by the 436th Airlift Wing based at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The C-5 was capable of carrying three of these units in a single flight. The first three of the mobile units made it to San Juan International Airport on Oct. 2. Two more trucks were delivered the following day.
Once the portable towers were driven to their assigned locations, they were operational within an hour. After permanent towers are repaired and back on line in an area, the towers can be moved again
While one team of DEA agents worked with AT&T and the Air Force to support the airlift and delivery of the mobile cell towers, others federal agency teams engaged in a variety of other support activities across the island, to include search and recovery operations, distribution of water and other critical supplies.
The teams of agents worked again with the Puerto Rico Air National Guard to deliver more necessary gear. Scores of federal agents worked at Muniz Air National Guard Base on the evening of Oct. 1 to unload much needed supplies. Seymour said many of the agents on the island are volunteers from various field offices around the country.
“We’ll roll to where they need us,” he said. “There are many different pieces necessary to this response and we’re proud to be a part of one of them.”
“This is something a little unusual for us,” said DEA Special Agent Rick, who asked not to be fully identified due to the nature of his job. “But, there was no shortage of volunteers for this. Everyone I know is concerned about what’s happening here in Puerto Rico.”
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.07.2017 19:20 |
| Story ID: | 250957 |
| Location: | PR |
| Web Views: | 465 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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