An Israeli organization is providing solar power units and communication systems to badly-hit communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene, even as the latest Category 3 storm, Hurricane Milton batters the same region.

SmartAID, working in collaboration with its partner, FP Project and grassroot communities in Asheville, North Carolina and Taylor County in Florida, brought two smart mobile trailers to Asheville and North Carolina to provide critical electrical and communication support to first responders, local charities and local communities. More trailers are on their way.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on September 26, leaving a trail of destruction across six states, and causing massive flooding. The storm killed 223 people, and hundreds are still missing.

Helene was the deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Even now, as Hurricane Milton – projected to be an ever bigger storm – hits Florida, hundreds of thousands of people in the affected regions remain without power, and with limited communications and access to basic aid.

“In the face of disasters like Hurricane Helene, technology is as essential as food, water, and shelter,” said Shachar Zahavi, the founding director of SmartAID.

“Technology has become a basic necessity in providing aid to communities affected by disasters. It allows first responders, local government, local community volunteer groups reach far more people in need. Technology affects almost every aspect of our daily lives, SmartAID teams are basically using and adapting technology for the greater good,” he added.

The mobile trailers, which are staffed by five people, help provide electricity for shelters and to local clinics that store medical supplies, and offer emergency responders a place to charge their cell phones and keep communication systems operational.

They also include a solar-powered water pump running on a microgrid. Zahavi told ISRAEL21c that atmospheric water generators are also on route to additional sites, and that SmartAID is providing food and medical support.

He added that his staff are positioned near areas that may be impacted by Hurricane Milton, but not too close that they might be endangered by the mega storm.

Zahavi founded SmartAID (originally called iAID), in 2019. Over the years it has sent assistance to numerous countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, the Philippines, Peru, Brazil and India.

“We constantly engage the technology industry in shaping disaster response itself. It’s not just about delivering technology, but helping the tech community bring their ideas and solutions to people in need,” he said.

The organization is now raising money to build and deploy additional smart mobile trailers. “They will not only address the urgent needs of those affected by Hurricane Helene, but serve communities across the US for years to come,” he said.

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Originally posted at israel21c.org