The Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology is hopeful that Wi-Fi hotspots will prove helpful in circumstances like the wildfires that ravaged the communities of Adam’s Cove and Small Point last week.

Residents who were forced to flee their homes were left without a way to contact family and friends when phone service was affected by the fires.

Minister responsible and MHA for the area, Steve Crocker, says government has been seeking interest in establishing Wi-Fi hotspots in various underserviced areas around the province.

“In circumstances like these, Wi-Fi hotspots could be just as useful, or offer that opportunity for people to have that connectivity, in areas where there is little or no cell phone coverage. “We’re constantly looking for ways to improve these services.”

Ultimately, Crocker says, service coverage lies with the companies involved.

In the meantime, Crocker says government is doing what it can to assist those who lost their homes. The number of structures lost, including homes, sheds and garages, is in the range of 45.

“We’ll start the job to rebuild,” says Crocker. “These rebuilds take some time, but rest assured, as a government, as a province, we’ll be there to lend assistance in any way that we can.”