Author: Meredith Hemphill
Hurricane Helene was a natural disaster unlike any North Carolina has experienced before. Not only was it a powerful storm, but it primarily impacted the western part of the state, a region of rugged terrain unaccustomed to tropical storms of this size. The State Emergency Response Team, which includes state, local, federal, private sector and non-profit partners, has been responding to this unprecedented event. Read on to learn what the SERT and the Department of Public Safety have been working on in Western NC. This is the second blog of the Hurricane Helene response series.
During an emergency, maintaining open communication networks is imperative. Survivors need to be able to call 911. Responders need to coordinate with one another. Emergency managers need to be able to inform survivors of changing conditions and available resources. Hurricane Helene knocked out communications towers and caused widespread cellular network disruptions in its wake. Even the channels that emergency responders rely on to talk to each other were affected, but SERT immediately set about restoring communications.
“Restoring communications is critical to saving lives, finding out where people are and getting in supplies,” said Gov. Roy Cooper during a Sept. 29 press briefing.
During the early days of the response, telecommunicators had to cope with a deluge of 911 calls, with 911 calls sometimes rerouted due to gaps in cell network service.
“The storm compromised our radio system for public safety at times,” said Will Kehler, the emergency services director for McDowell County. “Our 911 center, the infrastructure lines going into it were knocked out, requiring our 911 calls to roll to Johnston County.”
Multiple 911 centers took calls for neighboring counties that temporarily lost their 911 telecommunications services. Between Sept. 27 and Oct 1., Newton Communication Center in Catawba County fielded more than 6,000 phone calls and dispatched over 1,600 calls for service.
Meanwhile, teams in the field were working to restore the damage to communications networks. NCEM coordinated clearing roadways and transporting fuel to critical towers for public safety and broadcast infrastructure. Of particular concern was the Voice Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders system. These radio towers enable responders to communicate with each other on one frequency and are very important during a disaster.
“Early on, the only communications that we had with ground units, whether that be Emergency Management or troopers or whatever, were through the VIPER system,” said Sgt. Richard Collie, chief pilot for the State Highway Patrol’s aviation unit based in Raleigh.
Sgt. Collie explained that the aviation unit was tasked with surveilling the VIPER towers to assess which ones were in need of attention, either fuel or repairs. SHP helicopters were then sent in to supply diesel or hoist technicians down to those remote locations. SHP also deployed their Technical Services Unit to deliver more than 900 VIPER cache radios to first responders to make sure all groups involved in the response had access to the network. Despite damage to several towers, the VIPER system remained online throughout the storm and the disaster response.
“We have liaison officers with Starlink and communication tools that can help with our emergency management partners, as well,” Gen. Todd Hunt of the NC National Guard said at an Oct. 9 press briefing.
24 counties received Starlink kits with assistance from NCNG and law enforcement, including SHP. Starlink is a global satellite internet service. Tactical communications teams conducted follow-up visits to ensure IT and communications needs were met in impacted counties and municipalities.
Communication with the public was also of paramount importance. Public information officers working in the North Carolina Emergency Management Joint Information Center logged and answered approximately 600 calls and email requests from the media and public, these inquiries continue to date. The JIC also pushed out 35 news releases in addition to approximately 25 other deliverables such as videos, graphics and other products and were instrumental in conducting multiple news conferences.
The NCDPS communications team created a Hurricane Helene website to disseminate news, resources and information. A fact vs. myth section was later added to combat misinformation about the Hurricane Helene response. NCDPS also used its social media platforms to share timely information and help fight misinformation.
“It’s important to point out the onslaught of lies and misinformation that are impacting the people there on the ground. This misinformation is confusing to people trying to get help. It’s demoralizing and dangerous for people working so hard to deliver that help,” Gov. Cooper said in the Oct. 9 briefing.
During an Oct. 1 briefing, Emergency Management Director Will Ray highlighted the work of NC 211 operators, who he said were “working around the clock to process an unprecedented number of calls.” NC 211 is an operation of the United Way of North Carolina and is often called upon during large events to help share resource information with the public.