BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:IEEE vTools.Events//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=2SU;BYMONTH=3 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20261101T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=1SU;BYMONTH=11 TZNAME:EST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20261019T182048Z UID:96E7B66B-8A01-4307-B49E-38AB35CB0CB4 DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T213000 DESCRIPTION:80 Days in Puerto Rico: IEEE MOVE After Hurricane Maria\n\nIn t he aftermath of Hurricane Maria\, Puerto Rico faced widespread destruction of its electric power\, communications\, transportation\, and other criti cal infrastructure. With conventional communications disrupted across much of the island\, reconnecting people with their loved ones presented an ur gent challenge.\n\nOn November 24\, 2017\, IEEE MOVE volunteer Tim Forrest \, CET\, deployed to Puerto Rico to support disaster-relief operations. He remained on the island until February 8\, 2018\, helping pioneer a mobile approach to disaster communications and Red Cross reunification.\n\nThe m ission took satellite communications directly to the communities that need ed them. Portable VSAT satellite systems\, on loan from the International Red Cross\, were transported to different locations across Puerto Rico\, o ften on a daily basis\, to support Red Cross reunification efforts. Each m orning began with loading the VSAT\, generator\, gasoline\, communications equipment\, food\, water—and the people themselves—into vehicles for another day in the field.\n\nAt each destination\, the team had to find a suitable location with a clear view of the satellite\, establish communica tions\, and support Red Cross personnel working with community members see king to reconnect with loved ones. At day's end\, the equipment was disman tled\, packed\, returned\, refueled\, and prepared for deployment to anoth er community. This early mobile-VSAT approach helped establish a model for future disaster-response deployments.\n\nThe work depended on far more th an satellite technology. Tim worked alongside Puerto Rico Cruz Roja person nel\, American Red Cross volunteers deployed from across the United States \, local volunteers\, and community members. IEEE MOVE volunteer Steve Kem p later joined the effort\, working alongside Tim on field deployments thr oughout the island.\n\nThrough photographs\, video\, firsthand observation s\, and stories drawn from nearly 80 days in Puerto Rico\, Tim will take t he audience from San Juan headquarters into mountain towns\, coastal commu nities\, schools\, plazas\, roadsides\, and remote locations where communi cations infrastructure had been damaged or was simply unavailable. Along t he way\, he will share the realities of difficult roads\, damaged infrastr ucture\, transportation challenges\, equipment repairs\, warehouse operati ons\, and the constant improvisation required to keep the mission moving.\ n\nMore than a story about satellite equipment\, this is a firsthand accou nt of what happens when critical infrastructure disappears and communities must find new ways to communicate. It reveals how technology\, teamwork\, local knowledge\, ingenuity\, and human resilience can overcome extraordi nary obstacles—and how restoring a connection can mean far more than res toring communications.\n\nCo-sponsored by: IEEE-USA MOVE Program\n\nSpeake r(s): George Timothy “Tim” Forrest\n\nVirtual: https://events.vtools.i eee.org/m/587230 LOCATION:Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/587230 ORGANIZER:l.arellano@ieee.org SEQUENCE:88 SUMMARY:MOVE USA OCT 2026 Tech Talk - IEEE MOVE After Hurricane Maria URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/587230 X-ALT-DESC:Description: <br /><p style="margin: 0in\;"><span style="font-si ze: 18pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;"><strong><span style="font-family: aria l\, helvetica\, sans-serif\;">80 Days in Puerto Rico: IEEE MOVE After Hurr icane Maria</span></strong></span></p>\n<p style="margin: 0in\;">&nbsp\;</ p>\n<p><span style="font-family: arial\, helvetica\, sans-serif\; font-siz e: 14pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">In the aftermath of&nbsp\;Hurricane Mar ia\, Puerto Rico faced widespread destruction of its electric power\, comm unications\, transportation\, and other critical infrastructure. With conv entional communications disrupted across much of the island\, reconnecting people with their loved ones presented an urgent challenge.</span></p>\n< p><span style="font-family: arial\, helvetica\, sans-serif\; font-size: 14 pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">On November 24\, 2017\, IEEE MOVE volunteer <strong>Tim Forrest\, CET</strong>\, deployed to Puerto Rico to support di saster-relief operations. He remained on the island until February 8\, 201 8\, helping pioneer a mobile approach to disaster communications and Red C ross reunification.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-family: arial\, helve tica\, sans-serif\; font-size: 14pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">The mission took satellite communications directly to the communities that needed the m. <strong>Portable VSAT satellite systems\, on loan from the Internationa l Red Cross\, were transported to different locations across Puerto Rico\, often on a daily basis\, to support Red Cross reunification efforts.</str ong> Each morning began with loading the VSAT\, generator\, gasoline\, com munications equipment\, food\, water&mdash\;and the people themselves&mdas h\;into vehicles for another day in the field.</span></p>\n<p><span style= "font-family: arial\, helvetica\, sans-serif\; font-size: 14pt\; color: rg b(0\, 0\, 0)\;">At each destination\, the team had to find a suitable loca tion with a clear view of the satellite\, establish communications\, and s upport Red Cross personnel working with community members seeking to recon nect with loved ones. At day's end\, the equipment was dismantled\, packed \, returned\, refueled\, and prepared for deployment to another community. This early mobile-VSAT approach helped establish a model for future disas ter-response deployments.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-family: arial\, helvetica\, sans-serif\; font-size: 14pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">The w ork depended on far more than satellite technology. Tim worked alongside < strong>Puerto Rico Cruz Roja personnel\, American Red Cross volunteers dep loyed from across the United States\, local volunteers\, and community mem bers.</strong> IEEE MOVE volunteer <strong>Steve Kemp</strong> later joine d the effort\, working alongside Tim on field deployments throughout the i sland.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-family: arial\, helvetica\, sans-s erif\; font-size: 14pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">Through photographs\, vi deo\, firsthand observations\, and stories drawn from nearly 80 days in Pu erto Rico\, Tim will take the audience from San Juan headquarters into mou ntain towns\, coastal communities\, schools\, plazas\, roadsides\, and rem ote locations where communications infrastructure had been damaged or was simply unavailable. Along the way\, he will share the realities of difficu lt roads\, damaged infrastructure\, transportation challenges\, equipment repairs\, warehouse operations\, and the constant improvisation required t o keep the mission moving.</span></p>\n<p><span style="font-family: arial\ , helvetica\, sans-serif\; font-size: 14pt\; color: rgb(0\, 0\, 0)\;">More than a story about satellite equipment\, this is a firsthand account of w hat happens when critical infrastructure disappears and communities must f ind new ways to communicate. It reveals how <strong>technology\, teamwork\ , local knowledge\, ingenuity\, and human resilience can overcome extraord inary obstacles&mdash\;and how restoring a connection can mean far more th an restoring communications.</strong></span></p> END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR