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I’ve been a paramedic and firefighter for more than 30 years, and I’ve seen firsthand how reliable communications impact response times and critical care. Now amid Florida’s hurricane season, communication is more important than ever.
In 2011, a deadly tornado struck Wake County, North Carolina, where I lived and worked. At the time, I was an incident commander responsible for leading and managing all safety aspects of the tornado. I was facing my worst nightmare: poor communication. Commercial networks were overloaded, and I wasn’t able to contact other first responders. Response efforts were difficult until I could talk in person, a feat nearly impossible during a tornado.
