When hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf coast states, citizens and corporations alike looked for ways they could help.  TomTom is proud that, in partnership with our digital map provider Tele Atlas, we were able to assist by contributing more than 300 TomTom GO 700 navigation devices to the search and recovery efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.  At the request of the Louisiana Department of Transportation, the devices were sent to the Offices of Emergency Preparedness in each state, with the bulk being deployed in New Orleans.   They were used by a broad array of government agencies, including the DOTD, FEMA, the U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard operations to help navigate the submerged road networks.  The GO 700 was mounted in Black Hawk helicopters and flotillas from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and other amphibious vehicles to help locate stranded individuals who were calling into the authorities with their locations.   TomTom was on site in Baton Rouge to assist in training and deployment.

Now, one month later, the devices are being leveraged in reconstruction efforts.  At TomTom we continue to keep the people affected by this horrific tragedy in our thoughts.  We remain dedicated, as fellow citizens, to rebuilding the great city of New Orleans – ironically, the site where we first announced the GO 700 to Americans just this past spring at CTIA Wireless convention.  We look forward to a time when we can revisit a prosperous New Orleans.

Photo: Joanne Aliber of the TomTom team shows a local officer how to use the GO 700.

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