2026 Agenda

When Hurricane Helene hit Ashville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, in September 2024, residents and first responders lost internet and communications connectivity. However, the county's 14-site P25 trunked radio network infrastructure-maintained communications throughout the disaster and recovery efforts when other networks including cellular and fiber networks were not functioning. Four of the county's 15 sites went down because the sites lost backhaul connections after the hurricane took out microwave antennas, but LMR service for the network's 5,000 users continued. A remote management system told county officials which sites were out, and all the working sites were running on generators. Officials used several interoperability methods to ensure mutual aid communications with outside first responders who came to the area to help with the recovery efforts. The disaster has proven the reliability and resiliency of a well-designed radio communications network, and county officials will provide a first-hand account of the hurricane and its communications system.

Takeaway

During the session, the audience will learn the following:
• The importance of communications resiliency and reliability
• Benefits of remote network management
• How county officials kept the network running and ensured power at all the sites continued
• How the county handled mutual aid and communications with responders who came to help