Cisco Crisis Response: Reinstating Connectivity to Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene
Cisco Systems has mobilized its Crisis Response (CCR) team to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. The team deployed 9 staff members and 19 volunteers, installing emergency networking kits with satellite terminals to provide secure connectivity to 11 response organizations. The response effort included support for state emergency management, hospitals, police, and fire departments. Cisco employees contributed over 550 volunteer hours and traveled 7,000 miles delivering equipment. A fundraising campaign raised $800,000, including $359,000 in employee donations and matches, plus $460,000 in corporate grants to support various relief organizations.
Cisco Systems ha mobilitato il suo team di Risposta alle Crisi (CCR) per supportare le comunità colpite da Hurricone Helene nella Carolina del Nord occidentale. Il team ha inviato 9 membri dello staff e 19 volontari, installando kit di rete d'emergenza con terminali satellitari per fornire connettività sicura a 11 organizzazioni di risposta. L'iniziativa di risposta ha incluso supporto per la gestione delle emergenze statali, ospedali, polizia e vigili del fuoco. I dipendenti di Cisco hanno contribuito con oltre 550 ore di volontariato e hanno percorso 7.000 miglia per consegnare l'attrezzatura. Una campagna di raccolta fondi ha raccolto 800.000 dollari, di cui 359.000 in donazioni e abbinamenti dei dipendenti, e 460.000 in sovvenzioni aziendali per supportare varie organizzazioni di soccorso.
Cisco Systems ha movilizado a su equipo de Respuesta a Crisis (CCR) para apoyar a las comunidades afectadas por el Huracán Helene en el oeste de Carolina del Norte. El equipo desplegó a 9 miembros del personal y 19 voluntarios, instalando kits de red de emergencia con terminales satelitales para proporcionar conectividad segura a 11 organizaciones de respuesta. El esfuerzo de respuesta incluyó apoyo a la gestión de emergencias estatal, hospitales, policía y cuerpos de bomberos. Los empleados de Cisco contribuyeron con más de 550 horas de voluntariado y viajaron 7,000 millas para entregar equipos. Una campaña de recaudación de fondos recaudó $800,000, incluyendo $359,000 en donaciones y partidas de empleados, además de $460,000 en subvenciones corporativas para apoyar a diversas organizaciones de ayuda.
시스코 시스템즈는 노스캐롤라이나 서부에서 허리케인 헬렌의 영향을 받은 지역사회를 지원하기 위해 위기 대응 팀 (CCR)을 mobilized했습니다. 이 팀은 9명의 직원과 19명의 자원봉사자를 배치하여 11개의 대응 기관에 안전한 연결을 제공하기 위해 위성 단말기가 포함된 비상 네트워크 키트를 설치했습니다. 대응 노력에는 주 비상 관리 기관, 병원, 경찰 및 소방서에 대한 지원이 포함되었습니다. 시스코 직원들은 550시간 이상의 자원봉사 시간을 기여하고 장비를 배송하기 위해 7,000마일 이상 여행했습니다. 모금 캠페인을 통해 800,000달러가 모금되었으며, 이 중 359,000달러는 직원 기부 및 일대일 매칭으로, 460,000달러는 다양한 구호 단체를 지원하기 위한 기업 보조금으로 사용되었습니다.
Cisco Systems a mobilisé son équipe de Réponse aux Crises (CCR) pour soutenir les communautés touchées par l'Ouragan Helene dans l'ouest de la Caroline du Nord. L'équipe a déployé 9 membres du personnel et 19 bénévoles, installant des kits de réseau d'urgence avec des terminaux satellites pour fournir une connectivité sécurisée à 11 organisations de réponse. L'effort de réponse a inclus un soutien pour la gestion des urgences de l'État, les hôpitaux, la police et les pompiers. Les employés de Cisco ont contribué à plus de 550 heures de bénévolat et ont parcouru 7 000 miles pour livrer l'équipement. Une campagne de collecte de fonds a permis de lever 800 000 dollars, comprenant 359 000 dollars en dons et en contreparties des employés, ainsi que 460 000 dollars en subventions d'entreprise pour soutenir diverses organisations d'aide.
Cisco Systems hat sein Krisenreaktionsteam (CCR) mobilisiert, um die von Hurrikan Helene betroffenen Gemeinden im westlichen North Carolina zu unterstützen. Das Team entsandte 9 Mitarbeiter und 19 Freiwillige, die Notfallnetzwerk-Kits mit Satellitentelefonen installierten, um 11 Hilfsorganisationen eine sichere Konnektivität zu bieten. Die Reaktion umfasste Unterstützung für die staatliche Notfallmanagementbehörde, Krankenhäuser, Polizei und Feuerwehr. Die Cisco-Mitarbeiter leisteten über 550 Stunden Freiwilligenarbeit und legten insgesamt 7.000 Meilen zurück, um die Ausrüstung zu liefern. Eine Spendenkampagne sammelte 800.000 US-Dollar, darunter 359.000 US-Dollar aus Mitarbeiter-Spenden und -Gegenleistungen sowie 460.000 US-Dollar an Unternehmenszuschüssen zur Unterstützung verschiedener Hilfsorganisationen.
- Successful deployment of emergency networking solutions to 11 critical response organizations
- Strong employee engagement with 550+ volunteer hours contributed
- Raised $800,000 in total disaster relief funds
- Established strategic partnership with North Carolina Emergency Management Agency since 2008
- None.
By Brian Tippens, Erin Connor
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / November 12, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc.
Part of the Hurricane Helene response team.
Often in natural disasters, critical infrastructure can become severely compromised which affects our ability to communicate and take on essential tasks. This disruption affects our capacity to text loved ones to let them know we're safe, call 911 for emergency assistance, and enable first responders to receive calls and dispatch resources. It also hinders emergency management agencies from coordinating and managing response activities and impedes hospitals from accessing electronic medical records, ordering medicine, and filling prescriptions.
As a leader in connectivity solutions, Cisco saw the opportunity to bridge the gap through the creation of the Cisco Crisis Response (CCR) team, initially for government support, and expanding to disaster response after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Since then, the team has responded to over 100 incidents across disasters and humanitarian efforts in 38 countries, providing secure connectivity for emergency response agencies and aid organizations to carry out life-saving activities after a crisis. Rooted in Cisco's purpose to power an inclusive future for all, Cisco Crisis Response leverages our people, financial resources, technology and strategic partnerships to securely connect and empower crisis-affected communities around the world.
"Cisco has been a great friend of World Central Kitchen and cared for us, with donations but also because members of Cisco show up. We have to keep talking about how technology can help organizations like ours to have a better and quicker response, and more technology is key." - Chef Jose Andres, Founder of World Central Kitchen
CCR Mobilizing for Hurricane Helene
Recently, our CCR team has been hard at work responding to Hurricane Helene. Its devastating impact was felt by Americans across the southeast, particularly in areas of western North Carolina. Communities hit especially hard found themselves cut off from the rest of the country as they struggled to access power, water, cellular coverage and the Internet. Working with emergency response organizations, Cisco's Crisis Response team (CCR) quickly mobilized to help mitigate some of the difficulties these communities faced on the road to recovery.
Since the initial impact, 9 CCR staff members and 19 employee volunteers supported response efforts in western North Carolina and elsewhere in the affected region. This effort consisted of:
Dispatching and installing emergency networking kits (often paired with CCR's low earth orbit satellite terminals) to provide secure connectivity to 11 response organizations, ranging from state emergency management agencies, hospitals and health clinics, police and fire departments, aircraft operations, and local nonprofit centers coordinating volunteers.
Continuing to support multiple networks remotely, providing virtual support as needed to the organizations on the ground. A team of CCR volunteers who are security specialists have formed a virtual Security Operations Center to continue monitoring all deployed networks.
The importance of trusted, strategic partnerships cannot be understated when it comes to disaster response. These relationships are often cultivated during ‘blue sky days', when there is opportunity to explore and define respective roles, technology solutions and complementary offerings. The North Carolina Emergency Management Agency (NCEM) has been a close CCR partner since 2008; in addition to deployments over the years, the team regularly participates in NCEM's annual communications school, simulation and table-top exercises. As a result, CCR was in touch with NCEM well before Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and was able to deploy to support their response efforts within hours of their request.
Beyond Connectivity: Cisco's Culture of Giving Back
CCR's dedicated staff is accompanied by over 800 Cisco employee volunteers that are signed up and trained to support. We see these employees as extensions of the team - "force multipliers". We're proud to have employees and CCR volunteers who care and step up to these challenges. In our Hurricane Helene response, CCR volunteers deployed to support response organizations and install networks, provided back-office and logistics support at Cisco's RTP site, and served as couriers to bring equipment back and forth between the Cisco office and affected areas. In a two-week period, CCR volunteers contributed over 550 hours of their time and logged over 7000 miles while delivering critically needed equipment or services.
Additionally, CCR launched a Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief campaign, to support the response efforts of the American Red Cross, Americares and World Central Kitchen. In about a month from the end of September until now, over
Cisco stands with those impacted by the recent hurricanes, and remains committed to providing support, resources and solutions to help affected communities recover and rebuild.
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