When a severe weather event hits, the loss of communication can be the most immediate and disruptive challenge. In the crucial moments after the storm winds pass and are replaced by an unsettling silence, the ability to coordinate and respond effectively depends on a resilient communication network.
For public safety agencies, this is a familiar reality. While hurricane season offers an annual reminder for coastal communities, preparing for large-scale events and natural disasters is a year-round responsibility for agencies everywhere.
Having someone to rely on for emergency recovery support when communities are in crisis is more than a nice-to-have — it’s a necessity. Motorola Solutions has long stood as a steadfast partner in public safety, ensuring critical communication systems remain operational when others fail. Beyond our industry-leading technology, though, dedicated teams are working tirelessly behind the scenes: the unsung heroes of emergency and disaster response.
More than just radios: a lifeline in crisis
When natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires strike, or cyber threats loom, Motorola Solutions’ response teams step up. From sending staff on-site to conducting remote health checks on critical systems in preparation for big storms, they offer tangible and immediate support, providing a wide range of services to maintain critical communication systems during emergencies and disasters.
Although Motorola Solutions is well known for sending out emergency response teams and helping our land-mobile radio (LMR) customers recover from hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, we also provide many other services.
With the addition of multiple companies through acquisitions in the past five years, we’ve greatly expanded the list of ‘what we do’ when events happen. This can include everything from deploying backup devices, conducting remote health checks, dispatching teams and partners for on-site support to coordinating mutual aid and even providing emergency cybersecurity services and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems.
Boots on the ground, heart in the mission
An effective partner understands that disaster response is a multifaceted endeavor, leading to more successful outcomes for agencies and restoring mission-critical communications. For Motorola Solutions, this approach goes beyond simple technical support; it’s a testament to preparedness, seamless collaboration and an unwavering focus on lending a hand to the community’s first responders. Members of the Motorola Solutions services teams take pride in a “boots-on-the-ground” approach. When a crisis hits, the priority is recovery and getting things back on track.
Teams like the Motorola Emergency Response Team (MERT), which is celebrating 80 years of dedicated service this year, along with Global Services, Centralized Managed Support Operations (CMSO), Customer Support Managers (CSMs), Technical Services, Professional and On-Site Field Services, Sales and many others, in addition to local teams and countless individuals, are there to help in times of need. These teams work closely with agencies, partners and other organizations to help ensure effective communication and coordination, making sure everyone is aligned and ready to respond.
This commitment extends even to cyber incidents, where Security Operations Centers (SOCs), Incident Response teams and Cybersecurity Professional Services experts are engaged to provide crucial recovery support.
MERT: 80 years of dedicated support
At the heart of Motorola Solutions’ emergency and response services is MERT, which was established in 1945. This team is dedicated to providing crucial technical and on-site support for events that range from smaller community incidents to major disasters.
While MERT primarily handles domestic incidents, their commitment extends globally. Teams provided support for Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake and for the Bahamas in 2019 after Hurricane Dorian, including transporting Sites on Wheels (SOWs) by ship and plane to restore communications on Abaco Island.
Similarly, after the 2020 Tennessee tornado, MERT restored a master site within 24 hours to get communications back online.
Real-world impact and transformation
The impact of these services can be seen across multiple disasters and crises. Events like Hurricane Dorian and the Tennessee master site recovery highlight MERT’s ability to overcome logistical challenges and restore critical infrastructure in record time.
More recently, during the Los Angeles-area wildfires in 2025, Motorola Solutions’ emergency response teams helped the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) handle a 55 percent increase in radio traffic with 100 percent availability, showcasing the network’s resilience. To put that into perspective, it handled an increase of about 250,000 calls and 51,000 minutes of talk time on its highest traffic day.
When firefighters from neighboring states like Nevada and Arizona, as well as the National Guard, arrived to assist, they were able to stay connected to local first responders through our interoperable radio networks. Services teams delivered essential equipment like chargers and batteries, even chartering a private plane to help with immediate needs.
MERT works hand-in-hand with Motorola Solutions’ comprehensive suite of managed and support services, including proactive monitoring, predictive analytics and 24/7 technical assistance. This integrated approach ensures that when critical incidents occur, MERT can rapidly deploy, leverage real-time insights from Motorola Solutions’ Network Operations Centers (NOCs) and seamlessly integrate with existing communication and security infrastructures.
Combining MERT’s specialized, on-the-ground support with other service offerings helps empower public safety agencies and enterprise organizations with unparalleled resilience, enabling them to recover or maintain their critical communications, minimize disruptions and achieve the best possible outcomes, even in the most challenging circumstances.
