Sometimes it’s the little things.
Mohave Electric Cooperative donated more than three dozen mini portable chargers to the Mohave County Sheriff Search and Rescue Unit.
Weighing less than five ounces, the candy-bar-sized devices can power a cell phone or tablet for up to 90 minutes, buying more time for first responders to safely conduct emergency operations.
They’re expected to come in handy during desert rescue operations, when volunteers on foot or ATV are off road for extended periods, said Paul LaVoie, public affairs and communications specialist for Bullhead City, Arizona-based Mohave EC.
“Search-and-rescue personnel are trained to be ready for anything in the field, and having backup power for those devices helps with the volunteers’ overall preparation,” said Fred Fischer, Mohave EC’s network operations administrator, who also serves as a sergeant with the unit.
The co-op included chargers in its annual meeting gift bags and had leftovers. Fischer and warehouse/purchasing supervisor Jerry Hardy, who is also a search and rescue volunteer, suggested to co-op managers that the devices would be useful donations.
“These power bank units help us tremendously when we are searching in the field and can’t afford to lose communication,” said Fischer.
“We use a GPS location program on our cell phones that is energy intensive,” he added, noting that a number of other apps accessible from tablets and cell phones are also vital to rescue volunteers.
Co-op directors made the donation in October. Tyler Carlson, Mohave EC CEO, said that units provide a “valuable and critical service to the communities and counties that we serve.”
“This support is exactly in line with our principles of Mohave electric’s commitment to community service.”
Derrill Holly is a staff writer at NRECA.