FAIRMONT — We’ve done may things, in the years since 9/11 to prevent future attacks and prepare for national disasters. We’ve developed new technologies right here in north central West Virginia.

The new technology is a silver lining in the horrific events that happened 7 years ago. The Department of Justice sponsored a project that will help those on the front lines, the firefighters and policemen and EMS, to be able to communicate and work together, no matter what crisis they face.

On September 11, as police were running out of the world trade center with news the building was close to collapsing, fire fighters were rushing in, trying to save lives not knowing the imminent danger.

“The fact that those 2 entities couldn’t talk directly to one another, created a problem that day, where extra lives were lost that maybe shouldn’t have been,” said David Ramsburg, the project manager.

It created the necessity of one, central communication system. The High Technology Consortium Foundation has spent the years following the fateful attacks developing a solution.

“So what this technology is bringing to the table is the ability to bridge the gaps, help fireman talk to policeman and talk to the hospitals and first responders on the scene,” said Ramsburg.

The project is called Respond Comm and uses broadband wireless technology, on a mobile tower that can be brought to any disaster area.

“This enables us not to just share voice communications over a radio, but we can also share data files, images, floor plans for a building, mug shots, and video,” said Ramsburg. Its already being used by the Fairmont Police, giving them internet access in the car, live video from the towers, and instant communication.

Not long after the project began, another national disaster, Hurricane Katrina, again wiped out all communication in the Gulf Coast. That national disaster not only highlighted the need for this technology, but also took the project in a brand new direction.

“In such an event as Katrina, they can put a lot of communication packages out there, but in a day or 2 they all ran out of fuel,” said Dan Headley, president of HCS Technology.

No diesel gas and the new technology wouldn’t work. So, the idea of a self-sustaining tower was born.

“We’re using solar cells as the primary solar source, wind as a back up to solar cell, and a last resort, if we are lacking all wind and sun, after a few days, hydrogen fuel cells kick in,” said Headley.

“We can show up on scene and within 20 minutes we can be up and operating, with no need for diesel generator or to plug into electric energy,” said Ramsburg. The renewable energy on those towers is able to last, in theory, for years at a time. This new technology, the better communications, and the fact that its green, is starting to gain a lot of attention and project coordinators expect it to be a big help in the future.

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