How GARMIN Helped Us Save Lives

When Hurricane Maria lashed through Puerto Rico, all means of communication were lost and infrastructure destroyed. Garmin InReach Locators have been used as a medium of communication all over Puerto Rico for coordinated disaster response. Vieques is an island a few miles east of San Juan with approximately 9,000 citizens, 7 miles wide and 1 mile long. Generation Gives is a collective effort of professionals and volunteers deployed during disaster relief services who leverage modern technology, logistics experience, and a knowledge network to improve economic and physical environments through recovery. Founder of Generation Gives, Joe Puthur, and Tarah Read, Management Director ordered 10 Garmin Inreach Locators, solar powers, and communications satellite, and headed off to Vieques on October 8th, 2016 with the mission, “Give Vieques a Voice”. Joe’s wife, Hamila, mother of an infant and toddler, provided organizational and logistical support from Florida.

Upon the arrival of the Generation Gives team, three weeks since the Hurricane hit, there were no functional ATMs on the island, no access to card readers in the grocery stores (70% of the population is dependent on Familia Welfare Cards), and no virtual method to disseminate information. Garmin InReach Locators helped the team communicate with military personnel, radio technicians and other relief workers. Generation Gives secured the first ATMs on the island with internet, linked grocery store card readers which provided thousands of meals for the citizens, and connected the main FM radio in Vieques with the neighboring island, Culebra (the first form of disseminated information since the storm). Amidst all of their efforts, the biggest obstacle in accomplishing these goals was the lack of coordinated and efficient communication. With no internet nor cell service, Garmin InReach devices gave first responders and volunteers the opportunity to communicate.

The first 3 devices were used by Generation Gives, Joe Puthur (Founder), Tarah Read (Management Director) and Bo Gurskis (EMT) allowing the team to stay in contact about daily ferry times, gas lines and emergencies.

The fourth Garmin was given to Pamela the Postmaster, making priority shipping possible again. Priority shipping allows quicker servicing for money orders and other important packages the island desperately needed.

The fifth garmin went to David, a local liaison who helped several relief groups including Generation Gives, the Red Cross and Vieques Love.

The sixth garmin went to “Baby”, a local liaison volunteer with the Red Cross. “Baby” helped Tarah and Bo locate sick and dying patients across the island thus allow the team to triage and coordinate evacuations.

The seventh garmin went to Edgar, a local radio technician in Vieques. Joe communicated with Edgar to revive the radio station’s signal in Vieques and neighboring island, Culebra.

The eighth garmin went to Miguelito, local radio technician in Culebra, who repointed the bent antenna towards Vieques. Miguelito also brought Generation Give’s satellite dish to the local grocery store every morning, allowing the purchase of foods with credit cards and Familia Welfare cards. Joe with owners and staff of Colmado Milka on Culebra Island were relieved to sell real food to its 2,000 residents.

The 9th Garmin went to Rodney Jones, Information Systems Technician First Class Petty officer on active duty with the Navy for JCSE (Joint Communications and Support Element). He provided connectivity in the municipality office for FEMA and government officials. Generation Gives also gave the JCSE a new router to maximize the bandwidth and speed of the Command Center’s internet.

The 9th Garmin also went to Laine Gorman, the manager at El Blok Hotel, who provided rooms the Red Cross, Military Personnel, Generation Gives, FEMA and other relief groups.

The 10th Garmin went to Sergeant Brijbushan, whose team guarded crucial locations such as the water plant and hospital where generators are being used. He used the Garmin to communicate with his team on the mainland from anywhere on the island, rather than only the command center.

These GPS Garmin Devices allow you to send unlimited text messages, emails, and social posts to Facebook with its built in Satellite. They can also be used for safety and have an SOS button in case of an emergency. These devices played a critical role in disaster relief efforts not only in Vieques, but all over Puerto Rico. Generation Gives equipped several members of different organizations including the ARMY, PostMaster, Navy, Vieques Love, Red Cross, and other local liaisons with Garmins to communicate and collaborate relief efforts to “Give Vieques a Voice”, and improve its physical and economical environments.