Alexander Mountain Fire: How Pulse Kept Authorities Connected
When the Alexander Mountain Fire struck Northern Colorado, emergency communications were critical.
While other means of communication went dark, Pulse’s fiber network kept running.
The Threat
The Alexander Mountain Fire broke out in July 2024, burning nearly 10,000 acres and destroying 28 homes and 21 structures. Most of this destruction occurred in the Cedar Park area of Big Thompson Canyon.
While raging, the fire also damaged essential Pulse infrastructure, including two power poles that held aerial fiber lines. This contributed to an already potentially deadly situation, leaving community members on the verge of having communications go out in the middle of a disaster. Pulse had been monitoring the situation, and it became clear that we had to step up.
Pulse Springs to Action
We began by having Pulse teams assess the damage while the fire was still burning and determined the need to replace 10,500 feet of fiber. This took coordination between multiple city departments and contractors. Loveland Water and Power had to put new power poles in place, and then we spliced the new fiber to the existing one.
Incredibly, the damaged fiber never failed, and crews worked hard to ensure service gaps remained minimal. After all was said and done, Pulse services were only down for two minutes.
Downed power pole during the Alexander Mountain Fire. Although damaged, services were still operational.
Pulse also provided valuable support to Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority (LETA), including negotiating and project managing a multi-organizational backup fiber line that ran from Denver, through the Adams tunnel and into Estes Park. The 911 providers’ access to this backup line was essential because the main communications line could have gone down at any moment. A communications line going down could have prevented Estes Park residents from being able to contact emergency services.
The Importance of Municipal Broadband
Because Pulse is a municipal broadband utility, we were well-equipped to provide communications support during this disaster. Pulse showed that our expertise and community owned model gives us the opportunity to step up when it matters most. In the information age, community connectivity is vital, and it becomes even more essential when disasters strike. Our dedication to serving the community was evident as we to supported LETA in their time of need.
In appreciation of Pulse’s assistance in keeping the flow of 911 communication going during this disaster, the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management presented Pulse with the 2024 Larimer EOC Collaboration Award. The inscription on the award reads “For your outstanding partnership and for your ongoing efforts in keeping our community safe.”
Larimer EOC Collaboration Award – 2024
