Legacy Phone Systems Left Counties Dark for Days - Here's What Worked Instead
When disaster strikes, every second counts. Hurricanes Milton and Helene didn't just damage buildings - they severed the critical communication lines that emergency services, utilities and municipal governments depend on to serve their communities. In the case of Milton and Helene, county officials found themselves unable to coordinate emergency responses, while sheriff's offices and election commissions went dark at precisely the moment they were needed most.
Trouble with Emergency Communications
In North Carolina for example, 48% of telecom systems went dark during Hurricane Helene, crippling emergency response efforts. The consequences were immediate and severe:
[-] Emergency services struggled to coordinate rescue efforts
[-] Local government offices couldn't provide vital safety information
[-] Utilities were unable to effectively manage restoration efforts
[-] Inter-agency coordination broke down completely
Prepare to Stay Connected
Imagine keeping your essential services running smoothly, even during the worst weather conditions. Cloud-based communication services backed by Starlink make it possible to deliver timely support for:
Emergency Response: Ensuring your teams can coordinate and alert the community during crisis situations
Disaster Recovery: Keeping your essential services online when traditional systems fail
Judicial Operations: Maintaining the continuous court operations your community depends on
This was the case for Cocke County, Tennessee.
Cocke County’s Recovery
The effectiveness of cloud-based solutions was demonstrated dramatically in Cocke County, Tennessee. After Hurricane Helene devastated the region, county services were left without communication capabilities. While their existing AT&T service estimated an extended outage, HostMy received a call at 4:30 PM on Wednesday night. By Friday morning, their phone systems were fully restored - a remarkable 36-hour turnaround that got the Sheriff's office, election commission, and other vital county services back online.
Josh Blanchard, Administrator of Elections with Cocke County, reflected on the impact:
"We left work on a Thursday, and the next day our world changed. We were affected by the remnants of Hurricane Helene. We had to quickly find a solution for an affordable communication system. We had early voting in person happening just days later. Quite frankly, we didn't have time to wait on the telephone company. Our agent, Brad and the HostMy team were completely responsive, going above and beyond. Not only was Brad and HostMy able to help our office, but other county offices as well."
This real-world example shows how the right partner can turn a crisis into an opportunity for stronger, more resilient government communications capabilities.
Your Disaster-Ready Strategy
If you're like most public service leaders, you know the risks of relying on legacy communication systems during a crisis. The HostMy team is here to help. HostMy is a U.S.-based, family-owned and operated hosted communications services provider that specializes in customer care, communications technology, and expert consulting for businesses and municipalities. The company was established in 1946 and began offering hosted voice services in 2001, making it one of the most experienced voice providers in the industry.
The Path Forward
Don't wait for the next disaster to leave your organization vulnerable. Your community deserves communication systems they can count on, especially during critical outages. We've made it easy to get started, with no upfront costs or hidden fees.
Visit https://www.hostmy.com/government to learn more. Your community is counting on you - make sure you're partnering with a technology and service provider that won't fail them when they need you most.