- Telecoms are essential in a crisis. Restoring communications helps emergency services coordinate their response and supports the return to normal.
- A rapid response. Orange can deploy autonomous communications solutions within hours of a disaster.
- From emergency response to long-term recovery. Once communications are restored, dedicated teams take over to rebuild damaged infrastructure.
Volunteers ready to deploy at a moment’s notice
Storms, floods, cyclones... Extreme weather is putting telecom networks under increasing pressure. When disaster strikes, restoring communications and power becomes an immediate priority.
Without them, emergency services can’t coordinate their work and communities remain cut off. That’s why Orange continues to strengthen its emergency response capabilities with solutions designed to get people connected again as quickly as possible.
“Being able to respond in the very first hours.”
Making that possible is Orange FIRST (Rapid Telecom Emergency Response Force), a unique team of 10 experienced volunteers who are on call 365 days a year and ready to deploy anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. Working in pairs, Orange employees volunteer for assignments lasting 18 to 24 months, with deployments of up to two weeks. Their mission is simple: restore internet access where communications have been completely cut off.
“It gives our work an even greater sense of purpose.”
Nina Wourms, a manager at Orange Events and one of the team’s newest volunteers, explains: “Joining Orange FIRST is a chance to support causes that really matter to me and use my professional skills to help others.”
Restoring connections in minutes
Out in the field, volunteers deploy a self-powered comms solution, SafetyCase, that can create temporary Wi-Fi hubs almost instantly. Within minutes, voice, data, and video services are back online, even in areas that have been completely isolated. As volunteer Philippe Cossais explains: “It’s incredibly easy to use. You press a button, the system locks onto the satellite signal, and Wi-Fi is available almost immediately.” Designed for demanding environments, SafetyCase is rugged, waterproof, and ready to be deployed almost anywhere.
Two versions are available depending on operational needs. A lightweight mobile unit can be up and running in seconds to support emergency teams on the move, while a larger crisis unit can be deployed in under 30 minutes to provide communications for a command center for almost 20 hours.
When terrestrial networks aren’t available, SafetyCase automatically switches to Eutelsat OneWeb satellite connectivity. Built directly into the solution, it provides reliable, independent communications even when traditional networks are down.
Deploying these solutions takes preparation. Volunteers train regularly, take part in simulation exercises, and deploy for short missions, long enough to stabilize the situation before handing over to local teams. As volunteer coordinator Gérald Berda explains, refresher training takes place at least twice a year.
“Crisis response requires maximum coordination between people.”
Cyclones, floods: real-world examples
“Mayotte showed us just how much people rely on Orange.”
In Mayotte, following Cyclone Chido in December 2024, 10 SafetyCase units were deployed to support government services and port operations during the first eight weeks of the recovery. At the same time, additional teams from Réunion and mainland France were mobilized to help restore services and accelerate the return to normal.
The team responded just as quickly in Valencia, Spain, after the floods of winter 2024–2025. In less than 72 hours, two SafetyCase units were up and running, providing communications for a police station and a medical center while giving local residents a vital way to stay connected. Three weeks later, the equipment had become an integral part of the local emergency response effort.
An exceptional response
FIRST is only deployed by Orange Security the event of a major natural disaster. That’s why we encourage businesses, local authorities, and public agencies to equip themselves with SafetyCase solutions too, so they can act immediately in a crisis. With this equipment, they can work independently, without waiting for outside support, to maintain or restore communications and keep essential services running in difficult conditions.
Rebuilding infrastructure
A crisis doesn’t end once the immediate emergency is over. Another team quickly takes over. While FIRST responds straight away to restore a first line of communication, FIRO, the Orange Recovery Intervention Force, focuses on repairing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure over the longer term. This continuity helps teams move from emergency response to recovery without losing momentum.
Orange isn’t the only essential player in these extreme situations. Restoring electricity is just as critical. We work closely with Enedis, which leads this complex task, to help secure the infrastructure communities depend on. As Arnaud Verhille, Security Director in charge of protection and resilience at Orange, explains: “This response system highlights Orange’s strength as a resilience operator, protecting our own infrastructure while also supporting the other operators and organizations that need to respond in a crisis.”
That strength comes from people and technology working together. “We’re an operator with technical expertise that is essential to the country, supported by skilled employees with a strong sense of social responsibility,” adds Arnaud Verhille. It’s this combination that helps strengthen the resilience of communities facing natural disasters and climate-related crises.
(Volunteers working on the SafetyCase)
