CPR Inc. opens first New York digital communications center in Rochester

Caribbean Preparedness & Response, Inc. has opened its first Digital Communication Center outside Puerto Rico at Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School in Rochester, backed by New York State funding. The center is meant to strengthen emergency communications with Puerto Rico and the Caribbean while also serving the community year-round.

Why it matters: - The Rochester center expands CPR Inc.’s emergency communications network beyond Puerto Rico for the first time. - The hub is designed to keep diaspora communities connected to Puerto Rico during disasters when regular communications fail. - The site also adds a year-round resource for training, learning and telework in Rochester.

What happened: - Caribbean Preparedness & Response, Inc. announced the installation of its first Digital Communication Center in New York State on Aug. 6, 2026. - New York State Governor’s Executive Office and the New York State Assembly funded the project. - Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School partnered on the installation. - The center was unveiled during the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the school’s Joseph Campus Expansion Project at 1069 Joseph Avenue in Rochester.

The details: - The Digital Communication Center is built around backup satellite connectivity, an advanced video conferencing system and a computer center for telework and student use. - The backup satellite link is intended to connect the Rochester site with sister facilities across Puerto Rico and New York State when conventional communications systems fail. - The video system is intended to support emergency preparation training, distance learning, telemedicine, workforce development and real-time collaboration between students in Puerto Rico and students in the diaspora. - The computer center runs on CPR’s secure network. - CPR Inc. operates this DCC network across Puerto Rico, and the Rochester center is the first the organization has established in New York State. - The funding is focused primarily on emergency preparedness, but the center is also intended to function as a community resource throughout the year. - CPR’s network keeps its centers active through educational and community programming and can shift them into emergency communications hubs when needed. - Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School is the only K-12 bilingual charter school in Upstate New York. - The school has served the Rochester community for more than 26 years and educates approximately 1,000 students. - More than 75% of the school’s student population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. - The school’s mission includes academic excellence, the New York State Seal of Biliteracy, social justice, cultural identity and preparation for college, careers and an interconnected global society. - CPR’s Rochester DCC is expected to help diaspora communities stay connected with Puerto Rico during emergencies. - Outside emergency use, the center will support educational collaboration between students in Puerto Rico and students at Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School. - The center also creates opportunities for parents and community members to take part in training. - CPR’s network already works with organizations across New York State on initiatives including AI training for seniors, a model that could extend to Rochester. - Jose Luis Rodríguez, president and CEO of CPR Inc., said the center shows New York State’s investment in resilient communication infrastructure can deliver results for diaspora communities. - Rodríguez said CPR hopes Rochester will be the first of several centers across New York State. - More information is available at CPR Inc.'s website.

Between the lines: - The Rochester launch signals CPR Inc. is trying to build a broader regional footprint, not just a single emergency site. - Locating the center inside a bilingual charter school ties disaster readiness to education, workforce support and community programming. - The model appears designed to make preparedness infrastructure financially and socially useful between crises, which can help sustain local engagement.

What's next: - CPR Inc. plans to use the Rochester site as a starting point for possible expansion to additional New York State locations. - The center is expected to begin supporting educational programming and community training while remaining ready for emergency activation. - CPR’s broader network may bring more New York-based collaboration, including senior-focused AI training, into Rochester.**