In the aftermath of the wildfires that struck Hawaii in August 2023, the state’s fire departments are reevaluating emergency communication capabilities. Fire Engineering reported that the natural disaster shed light on the vulnerability of cellular networks and the lack of advanced communication tools in fire vehicles.
The islands are evaluating and planning to fill communication gaps strategically. On Oahu, a county-level “interagency communications group” meets weekly, sometimes including carriers, to discuss various disaster scenarios. On Kauai, emergency responders are adding a tower at Haena to fill coverage voids. On the Big Island, they struggle to track all fire department vehicles during an emergency.
Fire Engineering reported that on Maui, where much of the damage occurred in August, first responders are reviewing the after-action report the Western Fire Chiefs Association prepared on its behalf. The report recommends that the Maui Fire Department consider joining FirstNet, which has been available in Hawaii since 2017. Maui is the only county fire department in the state that is not part of FirstNet.
“It’s becoming more and more important for first responders to have broadband coverage because of some of the software they have in their equipment that relies on that broadband backbone,” said Bob Roper, the association’s senior policy advisor and lead writer of that report.
However, the challenges faced during the fires on Maui were significant. Fiber optic lines were destroyed, and 21 cell towers failed, raising questions about the functionality of FirstNet. “What good is a first responder network that doesn’t work where the first responders are?” asked Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd. He added that FirstNet and AT&T discussed adding Starlink satellites to towers as a backup in case lines fail, and fire-proofing fiber optic lines or burying them underground.
Maui Fire Chief Sheldon Hao said that fire crews could still communicate via two-way radio during the wildfires. Also, if FirstNet is implemented, it will provide another communication system for emergency responders.
Reader Interactions