Dear Source:
Fellow Virgin Islanders: As the United States Virgin Islands and our neighboring sister islands begin the long road to recovery following these major tropical weather events, our patience, strength and perseverance will be tested. Psychologically, we may be drained. Our physical infrastructure has taken a severe beating – homes, businesses, communications, institutions, the very roads that we travel.
Our routines and emotional touchstones have been pushed out of alignment – the lack of modern conveniences that help us go about our days and nights, uncertainty of the future, educational and professional challenges. Many are still shell-shocked from the trauma of the storms themselves, in addition to being the caretakers to young ones, aging parents, family, friends or persons with special needs. Most tragic of all, there are those who are also struggling with the loss of a loved one during the course of these recent catastrophes. Words cannot express the depth of our condolences to these families and friends.
In the Emergency Operation Centers, members of Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA), alongside Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp and VITEMA Director Mona Barnes continue to coordinate with local and federal operatives to guide us along the road to recovery, which is certain to be a very long road indeed.
The viNGN network infrastructure has been battered, but has withstood two historic Category 5 storms within the space of only two weeks. With the support of our procurement, financial and warehouse personnel, our system administrators, network engineers and field technicians have already commenced the necessary steps to restoration hand in hand with our Internet Service Provider partners (www.viNGN.com/isp-partners). Through it all, our Administrative and Human Resources teams created a pipeline of sustenance including food, water and personal care items, providing peace of mind and comfort to everyone on staff, many of whom are working around the clock.
With the help of excellent partners, we have begun the establishment of free Wi-Fi Hot Spots for those needing to contact loved ones, file claims and conduct business. A link to the free Wi-Fi Hot Spots is right on our home page, at www.vingn.com. As more come online, they will be added.
From the entire viNGN family, we wish our fellow Virgin Islanders the best of everything, and we believe that through it all, we will come back stronger, wiser, and better than ever before.
All local Internet customers may also contact their Internet Service Providers (ISPs) directly for updates, with much patience and deep understanding of the great task ahead:
ADM Wireless
Website: http://www.admtechinc.com/
Phone: (340) 776-5480
Alliance Data Services (dba Smartnet)
Website: http://www.smartnet.vi/
Phone: (340) 715-4819
Broadband VI
Website: http://www.broadband.vi/
Phone: (340) 719-2943/774-5780
Choice Wireless (now Viya)
Website: https://viyavi.com/
Phone: (340) 777-VIYA (8492)
First Phase Datacomm
Website: http://www.firstphasevi.com
Phone: (340) 774-3282
High Tide Solutions LLC
Website: http://www.htsvi.net/
Phone: (340) 692-7811
OmniSystems Inc.
Website: http://www.omnisystems.com/
Phone: (800) 207-OMNI (6664)
One Stop Wireless
Website: http://www.onestopwirelessvi.com/
Phone: (340) 727-2999/(305) 394-0086
Surge Broadband
Website: http://www.surgebroadband.com/
Phone: (855) 697-8743
Mark McGibbon, Ph.D. — St. Thomas
Props to all ISPs for on-going efforts to restore internet service to off-Island web servers so families and friends can communicate with each other. Why not partner with government to build emergency INTRAnet service with on-Island servers to provide communication in the critical hours and days following a disaster like this? It breaks my heart to know that my new island neighbors may be alone and afraid.