Over 100 AWARE Flood Sensors are installed in northern Charlotte to warn residents of flash floods during heavy rain events.
In July 2018, Kashawne Rinehardt and five of his co-workers were trapped with heavy rain triggered flooding around their recycling business in northern Charlotte. Thankfully, they were all rescued without injuries. But John Wendel of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Stormwater Services wanted to ensure that he and his city’s first responders were prepared for the next flood event.
In cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, the agency installed 100 AWARE Flood Sensors to receive automatic alerts in the event of heavy rain like they experienced in July 2018. Wendel praised the sensors’ reliable operations and communications with its integrated solar panels and built-in LTE cellular modem.
Alerts from the AWARE Flood sensors are currently going to Mecklenburg County Stormwater Services office, which then informs the fire and police departments of possible road closures and evacuation notices. But soon, with the addition of 900 MHz radio, flood warnings reported by the AWARE Flood system can sent directly to phones so that officials can react even more quickly.
“I wanted to take a moment and give a big congratulations and thank you to the whole team that has committed countless hours to making the AWARE system a success,” said David Miller, the Vice President of Products and Engineering at Intellisense Systems. “Their hard work and devotion are on the verge of making a big impact, as AWARE Flood begins to improve the safety and resilience of communities around the globe.”