In September 2017, Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm, struck the island of Dominica with catastrophic force, just days after Hurricane Irma had already impacted the Caribbean region. With winds exceeding 250 km/h, Maria devastated the island’s infrastructure, destroying homes, cutting power nationwide, and causing a near-total collapse of telecommunications systems. Government services and emergency responders were left largely isolated, unable to communicate effectively during the critical first phase of the disaster response.

At the request of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), Luxembourg deployed an emergency.lu Rapid Response Kit to restore vital connectivity. Installed by Luxembourg Civil Protection volunteers, the system was set up at the national coordination centre, supporting the work of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and national authorities.

Using satellite capacity provided by SES, the platform delivered reliable broadband internet and voice services, independent of damaged terrestrial infrastructure. This connectivity immediately re-established communication channels between emergency services, government authorities, and international responders, enabling:

In a context where nearly all communication systems had failed, the emergency.lu deployment became a critical lifeline for operational coordination. It ensured that decision-makers had access to timely information and that emergency responders could remain connected and effective.