Disasters happen quickly. In these times, local residents rely heavily on vital services like emergency response, disaster recovery, utilities, police, fire and judicial operations. How can local governments keep faith with constituents and ensure access to vital services and open lines of communication?

When the pandemic hit Roane County, their four-line phone system collapsed under thousands of daily calls, leaving residents unable to reach vital health services. Suddenly, complaints flooded the mayor's office and public health and trust was in jeopardy. This is the incredible story of how the county health department responded to the crisis.

In North Carolina, 48% of telecom systems went dark during Hurricane Helene, crippling emergency response efforts. In nearby Cocke County, Tennessee, police department and election board telephones were down just three days before in-person voting was set to begin. This is the story of their amazing recovery.