• Terrain and distance: Wildfires often occur in remote areas with rugged terrain, which can obstruct radio signals and limit communication range.
• Interoperability issues: Different agencies responding to the fire (e.g., fire departments, law enforcement, park rangers) may use different radio systems, making it difficult to communicate and coordinate effectively.
• Overloading of radio channels: During a major incident like a wildfire, the volume of radio traffic can increase dramatically, leading to congestion and making it difficult for critical messages to get through.
• Battery life: First responders rely on portable radios, and battery life can be a concern, especially during prolonged incidents.
• Noise and interference: The noise from wind, fire, and equipment can make it difficult to hear radio transmissions clearly.
• Infrastructure damage: Wildfires can damage communication infrastructure, such as cell towers and radio repeaters, further hindering communication.
• Lack of backup systems: In case of primary communication system failure, backup systems may not be adequate or readily available.

Takeaway

What was the scope of the LA wildfires and the degree of disruption to public safety communications?
What were the solutions deployed by FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG)?
What were the challenges and obstacles that were overcome in deploying solutions?
What were the lessons learned and how will future responses be optimized to incorporate these lessons?