2026 Agenda

In July 2025, a wildfire burned a single fiber span on Bly Mountain, Oregon—an event that left Lake County without internet, cellular backhaul, or 911 dispatch connectivity. The outage wasn't just inconvenient; it disrupted public safety radio connectivity, impacted healthcare and pharmacy services, and even forced businesses into cash-only operations. This was not the first time: the county had suffered a nearly identical failure in 2023.

This panel discussion will bring together perspectives from public safety, state emergency management, and private industry. Panelists will share the operational challenges of maintaining 911, law enforcement, and responder communications during the outage, alongside the deployment of satellite-based solutions that restored connectivity. The conversation will highlight how emerging satellite technologies like Starlink, SatCOLTs, and T-Satellite were leveraged to connect over 6,800 residents, deliver 24,500 SMS messages, and distribute seven Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) using direct-to-device technology.

Together, the panel will explore the systemic vulnerabilities of single points of failure, the operational role of new satellite technologies, and how public-private partnerships are reshaping the resilience of LMR, NG911, CAD, and public safety broadband when terrestrial infrastructure fails.

Takeaway

Understand how a single fiber cut can cascade into countywide disruption across public safety, healthcare, and commerce.

Learn how satellite technologies (Starlink, SatCOLT's, T-Satellite) were rapidly deployed to restore 911, LMR, and broadband services.

See how public-private partnerships enabled faster restoration and ensured critical alerts (WEA) reached residents.

Compare lessons from 2023 and 2025 outages to identify systemic vulnerabilities in network infrastructure.

Gain strategies for designing resilient communications systems that avoid single points of failure.