Have you relied on private communications during a natural disaster? Share your experience and tips in the comments below.
On the third day of the Calita Fire, a spot fire jumped three ridges, trapping a 20-person hand crew. Public radios were jammed by terrain and thermal inversion. However, a private communications drone (tethered to a mobile generator) hovered at 400 feet, acting as a relay. Utilizing the protocol, the crew sent GPS pings and text messages via a commercial app that bypassed the congested public safety band. Within 40 minutes, a helicopter extraction was coordinated using coordinates transmitted entirely over private infrastructure. calita fire privatecom