FirstNet, built with AT&T Provides Emergency Communications After Central Texas Flood

A devastating natural disaster

The deadly, devastating flash flood that ravaged Central Texas during the July 4th holiday weekend is almost beyond comprehension in its power and cruelty. By Monday, July 7, 2025, the death toll had exceeded 100 victims with almost twice as many still missing.  Meanwhile, more storms and potential flooding were in the weather forecast, potentially making a terrible situation even worse.

The devastation that swept away lives and buildings also damaged the region’s cellular communications infrastructure, making it very difficult for first responders to come to the aid of flood survivors. This is why FirstNet, built with AT&T  answered the call for help. FirstNet is America’s only public safety network, whose Congressionally-assigned wireless broadband spectrum is entirely dedicated to police, fire, EMS, and other first responders. This exclusive network ensures that first responders can always communicate with each other via smartphones and network-connected land mobile radios (LMRs), even when commercial networks are either down or overloaded with traffic. There is no other wireless broadband network like it in America, or indeed the world.

FirstNet Response Operations Group Responds

In disasters such as the Central Texas flood, the FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) steps in to help with personnel and cellular transmission equipment being sent to stricken areas.

Composed of former first responders with firsthand disaster response experience, the ROG team has been on the ground in the flood zone in Central Texas as soon as the disaster struck.

The ROG team is there to reestablish wireless communications for local first responders by deploying some of FirstNet’s dedicated fleet of 180+ portable network assets. This fleet includes everything from Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD) portable cellular transmitters on pickups to Satellite Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) and Cells on Wheels (COWs). 

Mobile truck-mounted mobile cell sites that link to FirstNet via satellite, the generator-equipped, CRDs, SatCOLTs, and COWs are sited across America so that they can be dispatched to affected areas such as Central Texas within hours, and they were. As the news came in about the devastation in Central Texas, FirstNet’s ROG team got busy: In response to 10+ FirstNet emergency support requests from local police, fire and EMS, FirstNet ROG deployed CRDs and SatCOLTs to the affected area quickly. One of the SatCOLTs was deployed near Camp Mystic to aid in rescue and recovery efforts. Another was set up in San Saba County, Texas, to support emergency communications. FirstNet personnel were also embedded directly within the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Kerrville, Texas, collaborating with local officials to help ensure rapid response.

Additional Disaster Recovery Assistance

AT&T also brought in their own emergency equipment to help restore local cellular communications in Central Texas. These included AT&T LEO Cell Trailers (LCTs) and LEO Emergency Communication Portables (LECPs) to provide temporary cell service to first responders and residents wherever traditional service is currently unavailable. 

AT&T Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) — one of the largest of such services in the commercial wireless industry – is onsite and continuing to deploy additional assets and specialized personnel as needed in the flood zone. A case in point: AT&T and the non-profit Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) have deployed their 40-foot Mobile Connectivity Center (MCC) at Schreiner University, located near Flato Hall at 2100 Memorial Blvd., in Kerrville. The MCC serves as a free connectivity resource to the public, providing those affected by the floods with access to Wi-Fi, 16 computers, and facilities to charge their devices. AT&T has also delivered critical connectivity supplies, including power strips, charging cables, and charging blocks to the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM). These essential resources will be distributed by TDEM to whoever needs them.

On a larger scale, AT&T is waiving all overage charges to provide unlimited talk, text, and data for AT&T Postpaid & Prepaid customers with billing addresses in zip codes across affected areas from now through August 3, 2025. Additionally, the company’s retail store locations in the flood-affected areas are open and ready to serve customers. Store locations and hours are available here. The company is also contributing $200,000 to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, plus matching 100% of AT&T employee charitable contributions to the Fund.

Nothing can substantially ease the sense of loss and suffering experienced by the survivors of the Central Texas flood. Still, local first responders are doing whatever they can to help, and the FirstNet ROG team and AT&T personnel are doing their best to support public safety in this mission. It is a very serious responsibility, which these people take seriously.

For the latest news about FirstNet’s and AT&T’s efforts in the Central Texas flood zone, go here. This site is updated as new information becomes available.

Source: https://about.att.com/pages/disaster-recovery/2025/tx-floods