Officials Work to Prevent Future Communication Blackouts After Helene

As western North Carolina recovers from Hurricane Helene, state and regional leaders are focusing on strengthening communications infrastructure after what officials described as one of the worst outages in U.S. history, according to WLOS-TV.

During a recovery update Monday, officials said flooding destroyed cell towers, broadband networks and fiber lines, leaving an estimated 200,000 residents without service. The FCC reportedly called the outage the closest thing to a total communications blackout ever experienced in the United States, noted the station.

To improve preparedness, North Carolina is expanding its VIPER public safety communications network, with plans for 31 additional sites. State leaders are also exploring satellite technology, microgrids and other solutions to keep emergency communications operating during future disasters.

Officials said work continues to restore damaged infrastructure, while FEMA funding for hazard mitigation projects is moving through the approval process.