Last week, the Connect Everyone Coalition (CEC) hosted a fireside chat, “Two Years After Hurricane Helene: Connectivity Lessons for When Disaster Strikes.” The discussion featured opening remarks from U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09) and a conversation between CEC Executive Director Richard Cullen and North Carolina State Representative Blair Eddins (HD-94).

These connectivity advocates reflected on the real-world impact of low Earth orbit (LEO) technology for improving safety, communication and disaster response, including the lessons we have learned since LEO technology was deployed two years ago in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which left parts of Virginia and North Carolina — Congressman Griffith and Representative Eddins’ home states — without the ability to communicate.  

The discussion showcased ways connectivity innovation is helping Americans stay connected when it matters most. Missed the live conversation? Listen to the recording HERE!

This September marks two years since Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina, flooding roads, destroying infrastructure and leaving fiber technology unusable. Reflecting on the aftermath of the storm, Congressman Griffith and Representative Eddins highlighted the importance of redundancy for keeping people safe, connected and informed: 

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith: “We had a fair amount of damage, both wind and water. And what we found for differing reasons is that we needed redundancy that we didn’t have … Going into Independence, that was where their fiber was laid in the easement for the road. So, when the road went, the fiber went.”

North Carolina State Representative Blair Eddins: “And when we would leave the town of Boone and go out into Watauga County, cell service was gone … It was terrible to be out of communication for a day when you’re right in the middle of a disaster.”

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith: “From North Carolina to West Virginia, pretty much in the path of the New River, we lost cell coverage for several days and people didn’t have any way of communicating … In Damascus, my Health Wagon from Wise County realized there was a problem and brought Starlink Mobile over. They had capabilities … But it is absolutely imperative that we have redundancy in the system.”

Deploying innovative technology like LEO satellites in response to disasters provides modern tools that deliver reliable connectivity when it matters most. Here is what the lawmakers had to say on the lifesaving role of LEO satellite technology:

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith: “I’m a big fan of low Earth orbit technologies. Starlink currently, by the end of 2027, maybe a little sooner, we’ll have the Amazon competitor because it helps bring prices down for folks. But this is a part of the redundancy. We need the fiber where we can have it. We need the cell where we can have it. We need as much landline as is practical in this modern age. But we also need to know that and to make sure that low Earth orbit is available, because not only were families not able to connect and my district director and I were not able to connect, the first responders weren’t able to connect either, or people to them, in many parts of the district for periods of time.”

North Carolina State Representative Blair Eddins: “We were delivering disaster relief, bottled water, food, generators, but we were also delivering … Starlink units. We were leaving them at fire departments. We were leaving them at churches, and what I saw happen was people, their families hadn’t heard from them in days and maybe even weeks … And people would come there, and they would be able to email their families and say, ‘Hey I’m okay.’ I don’t know what we would have done without LEO satellites … I saw fiber hanging out the side of the mountains just washed. When the road went, the fiber went. And so, the LEO satellites — that is the way.” 

The discussion also looked to the future of space-based technology, the growing role of LEO satellites and the need for further space policy modernization to help connect everyone, everywhere:

North Carolina State Representative Blair Eddins: “If you can see the sky, you can have communication and I don’t know what beats that. Because even our cell phones at best, we still have dead spots here and there. But for a sheriff to have an officer that may be in a fight or any kind of emergency situation and not be able to communicate, the LEO satellite can fix that.”

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith: “We voted out of committee, H.R. 8255, the SAT Streamlining Act, that went to the full House. And that will set it up, so we can maybe make it a little easier at the FCC to get some of the licensing done.” 

CEC Executive Director Richard Cullen: “I think the next big step of this technology is what’s called direct-to-device, right? So, there’s one thing to have a Starlink portal or Amazon. Eventually, you’ll be able to get this technology directly to your phone. You’re seeing companies like Apple working on that. So, it’s going to be a big deal in the future.”

Watch the full webinar HERE. Learn more about the Connect Everyone Coalition HERE.