Atascadero company provides satellite backup for evacuation center
Backup allows evacuees, Red Cross personnel to access Wi-Fi 
–Red Cross evacuation center for the Chimney Fire backed up their communications needs with Satellite this week. A Communications on Wheels, or COW Unit, was deployed as a public service by Atascadero based company John Whitford Communications.
The COW mobile unit served the Red Cross personnel and fire evacuees the ability to communicate with unlimited high-speed WiFi and view local TV channels for updates on the fire conditions. This mobile unit is a listed emergency asset with San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services. The COW is setup and provided to the county free of charge for just this type of need. The center is located at Flamson Middle School Paso Robles.
“Providing communications to the community in time of need is critical, people can contact loved ones and keep up to date on the situations at hand,” Owner John Whitford says. “This is exactly why I built this unit, it’s my way of giving back. Satellite Communications stay up when cellular and land lines go down.”
