There are only two confirmed cellular stations/towers in Ripley County, Missouri, where Deputy Sheriff Michael Russell works. A reliable signal is confined near the two cities of Doniphan and Naylor, both of which are in the eastern half of the county. This results in virtually no cellular communication availability when personnel travels more than a few miles west of Current River, which divides the county into east and west halves. Similarly, when personnel travels between the two cities, most of the trip allows no cellular communication, according to a report provided by SureCall.

This is what made a cellular signal booster necessary. The Sherrif’s Department tested the SureCall Signal Boosters’ Fusion2Go 3.0, specifically.

Russell installed the device in his 2014 Ford Explorer, and since using it beginning in December 2020, he’s noticed significantly fewer dropped calls. The true test of the booster came when he was dispatched to the Northwest corner of the county, which is the most isolated and remote area of the department’s jurisdiction.

He received a call about a potential overdose, and after miles of travel, he and another deputy stopped at a remote, unmarked intersection, frustrated that they could not locate the residence. Thankfully, the signal booster was working, and Russell was able to access Google Maps and quickly located the approximate location of the residence. He believes it is because of the booster that a man’s life was saved that night, according to the report.