Contrivian Powers Connectivity During Palisades & Eaton Fires with Peplink

Contrivian Powers Connectivity During Palisades & Eaton Fires with Peplink

During critical wildfire events, reliable communication and connectivity are essential for the effective coordination and safety of firefighting teams. When the Palisades and Eaton Fires broke out near Los Angeles, multiple first responder agencies set up a base camp in challenging terrain. To support mission-critical operations in the area, Frontier and Contrivian teamed up to deploy a connectivity solution.

Challenge

Firefighters often face major communication challenges in remote or disaster-stricken areas where cellular networks are unreliable or completely unavailable. During the Palisades and Eaton Fires, a secure, resilient, and flexible connectivity solution was critical to support real-time data sharing, incident management, and coordination among field teams. Additionally a reliable channel was needed for communications between first responders and their loved ones.

The fires damaged key telecom infrastructure, cutting fiber lines and disabling some cellular towers. Although some connectivity remained, the high number of first responders relying on the same networks for data-heavy operations caused serious congestion. A new solution was needed to support multiple communication systems, including cellular, satellite, and radio.

Solution

Contrivian developed a mobile system comprising Peplink’s BR1 Minis and BR1 Pro 5Gs as the core components. On top of the mobile system, they added a Starlink. Using SpeedFusion, they either bonded cellular and Starlink connections for greater bandwidth – ideal for large file transfers such as real-time weather feeds and thermal image – or enabled Hot Failover to automatically switch between cellular and Starlink, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical real-time data.

To establish a Private LTE network, Contrivian deployed compact mini-towers integrated with the joint Peplink and Starlink solution. These towers broadcast LTE on FirstNet and Verizon Frontline frequencies, allowing first responders to use their standard mobile devices even when traditional cellular infrastructure was unavailable.

Additionally, Contrivian assembled AP One Rugged units and antennas in small enclosures to create portable Wi-Fi access points. These units automatically connected to the Wi-Fi mesh, instantly expanding coverage across the base camp and delivering reliable Wi-Fi access to command trailers and first responders for seamless coordination.

Result

Contrivian’s deployment with the use of Peplink delivered crucial improvements to communication, coordination, and overall response effectiveness. SpeedFusion enabled real-time data sharing and seamless failover between cellular and satellite networks, which proved critical for informed decision-making and coordination across teams. The portable design of the solutions allowed for rapid deployment in challenging terrain, while resilient connectivity helped first responder agencies stay aware about changing conditions, improving both safety and operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, Peplink continues to be a key component of Contrivian’s roadmap for emergency response. By pre-staging Peplink with Starlink, they aim to deliver instant connectivity from the moment teams arrive on scene. Planned enhancements will push live data not only to command trailers but directly to frontline crews, extending the benefits of Peplink’s reliable, bonded connectivity to every responder in the field.