In an announcement Monday, the Bethesda, Md.-based vendor said the equipment can prevent much of the widespread communications troubles that plagued the southeast U.S. after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita pummeled the area last year. In the hurricanes' wake, landline and cellular telephone systems were largely devastated in Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of other nearby states due to downed lines, destroyed towers and other communications infrastructure failures. Emergency workers had to use radios, satellite telephones and other means to communicate until telephone service was restored. "

The Iridium systems offer interoperable voice and data communications, will work anywhere and are portable, according to the company. The data services include integration of Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID) to help track vehicles, supplies and personnel wirelessly during emergencies so that response efforts can be monitored, the company said.

Iridium services are already being used in some states, including Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas.

The Iridium systems can interoperate with other communications systems, including VHF and UHF radios, making them flexible in times of emergency, Greg Ewert, executive vice president for Iridium, said in a statement. "Many states that could be affected by hurricanes this season are still far from being prepared from a communications perspective," he said.

The Iridium systems also offer quick setup and use no land-based infrastructure that can be damaged in a disaster, according to the company.