How broadband lags power and water in emergency planning

2025 was another costly year of natural disasters in the U.S.—from the LA wildfires to the Texas floods. The first half of the year alone was the most costly on record, totaling over $101 billion. Beyond damage in dollars, communities were upended, and livelihoods disrupted, exposing the need for stronger disaster preparedness and resiliency. While first responders rush to the scene and utility crews restore water and power, another critical, often overlooked group supports both the impacted residents and the crews themselves. After the Storm, a short film documentary produced by The Internet & Television Association, highlights the broadband technicians and network recovery teams in these increasingly volatile weather patterns. “The work of restoring broadband after a disaster is demanding, but it’s also profoundly meaningful,” the film’s producer, Brian Dietz, told Broadband Nation. He described the documentary as an illustration of broadband infrastructure’s critical support “woven into every aspect of modern life,” especially during emergencies. “Connectivity enables hospitals to coordinate care; families to reconnect; communities to rebuild," he said. Yet despite the infrastructure and industry’s value—both economically and socially—power and water remain the key funding focuses in emergency response readiness, according to Dietz. Broadband sits “just outside [these] formal frameworks.”