Broadband providers: The forgotten heroes during natural disasters
To highlight broadband providers' work, the NCTA created a documentary, “After the Storm" to capture the coordination it takes when rebuilding infrastructure after a natural disaster. Through detailed footage and interviews, the film presents the behind-the-scenes planning and communication that happens during a disaster.
The forgotten heroes behind broadband providers in times of disaster
President and CEO of NCTA, The Internet and Television Association, Cory Gardner, joins FOX Weather to discuss how the company sheds light on the hard work of the forgotten heroes at broadband providers following natural disasters.
When the devastating Hurricane Helen struck the Southeast in 2024, the storm caused immense damage to impacted areas, leaving many residents without power or the ability to communicate with the outside world.
Some residents were isolated and disconnected for days, unable to contact loved ones or emergency personnel.
This isn’t an uncommon event after a natural disaster, as rebuilding networks is rarely easy.
TACKLING THE UNSEEN TOLL OF NATURAL DISASTERS
Immediately after the storm passed, cable broadband companies hit the ground running, working around the clock to restore power.
"We're not just there for Netflix," President and CEO of The Internet & Television Association (NCTA), Corey Garden, told FOX Weather. "We are infrastructure, and we're making sure that people's lives are connected … to loved ones, to work, to businesses, to first responders."
NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 05: Linemen with MasTec work on restoring power after Hurricane Helene passed through the area, knocking out power to thousands of people on October 05, 2024 in North Augusta, South Carolina. The Hurricane has left over 200 people dead across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
To highlight broadband providers' work, the NCTA created "After the Storm", a documentary which captures the coordination it takes when rebuilding infrastructure after a natural disaster.
Through detailed footage and interviews, the film presents the behind-the-scenes planning and communication that happens during a disaster.
"It's to show…the important work that these workers, these techs did," Garden said.
ENGLEWOOD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: A lineman repairs power lines after Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 12, 2024, in Englewood, Florida. Thousands of Florida are still without electricity following the storm that made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The docufilm follows broadband crews, utilities and government agencies showing some of the struggles that they faced after several disasters, including Hurricane Helen, the Palisades Fire and Hurricane Milton.
"We heard providers talking about how they…didn't know where to go," Garden said. "We had power companies that weren't coordinating with our companies. Which resulted in duplicated services."
Not only do broadband workers face these challenges, but many also leave behind their own homes that were destroyed during the storm to restore service to the community.
MALIBU, CA - JANUARY 25: Utility workers repair power lines on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, CA on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.
(Getty Images)
For Garden, he believes that this documentary is important not only to emphasize the important work that cable broadband companies provide but how planning can improve for the next natural disaster.
"We need to learn from the past to make sure that we don't repeat the same kind of circumstances again," Garden said. "We put this docufilm…to make sure that we're a part of the emergency operation centers. To make sure that we can be there before the storm, so when the storm goes away, when the clouds go away, we can actually roll in and get people's lives back up and running."