Western firefighters were working the biggest wildfire in California鈥檚 history when they encountered a surprising obstacle: slow internet.
It happened in late July, as fire teams tackled a series of blazes collectively called the Mendocino Complex.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department had paid for an unlimited data plan to run computers and communications equipment on their travelling command vehicle. But while at the scene of the fires, their internet slowed to a crawl.
As Ars Technica , Verizon Wireless eventually restored the data, but only after sending the fire team through the billing department to pay double to upgrade their plan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 mind boggling that Verizon engaged in this profiteering when our communities were at risk -- when our firefighters were in danger,鈥� says Frank Lima with the . 鈥淩educing these data capabilities during an emergency situation to me is unconscionable.鈥�
Lima, who is also a fire captain with Los Angeles City fire department, says fire teams rely on a variety of communications methods -- essentially, whatever works best given the terrain and the scenario.
鈥淪ometimes our regular radios have a hard time working,鈥� he says, 鈥渟o an option is a text or just a phone call.鈥�
The incident is now part of a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission, which repealed net neutrality rules that made it illegal to purposely slow down internet service, a practice called 鈥渢hrottling.鈥�
"County Fire has experienced throttling by its ISP, Verizon," wrote Anthony Bowden, Santa Clara County Fire Chief, in published by Ars Technica. "This throttling has had a significant impact on our ability to provide emergency services. Verizon imposed these limitations despite being informed that throttling was actively impeding County Fire's ability to provide crisis-response and essential emergency services."
Verizon the throttling was just a customer service mistake.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Yellowstone Public Radio in Montana, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and 皇冠网址 in Colorado.
