Blossman Gas turns to FirstNet to navigate natural disaster

The propane industry has built a reputation as an essential energy source available during emergencies.

But for the industry to fulfill that role of delivering propane to affected communities, communication is also essential. When natural disasters strike critical infrastructure, communication can become unreliable or nonexistent.

Those in the Southeast know this all too well after Hurricane Helene devastated the region last September.

“The Carolinas were turned into a black hole,” says Todd Stinnette, manager of Blossman’s IT infrastructure team. “There was no communication, no anything.”

Blossman Gas was ready, however, with a solution to restore communication among its team and bring its operations back online so it could service hard-hit communities. About two years before Helene, the company began to test FirstNet, a high-speed wireless broadband network for public safety.

In 2012, Congress enacted bipartisan legislation that set aside a special lane of connectivity, called Band 14, specifically for public safety communications. FirstNet, a separate arm of AT&T, was born. It is designed for first responders and a community of approved users critical to supporting an emergency response – like the propane industry. In an emergency, this lane can be cleared and locked just for FirstNet subscribers.

“Most modern devices support that band now,” Stinnette says. “You can bring your device to FirstNet, or they have devices you can purchase with the service.”

Stinnette and his team had been testing about 20 devices – smartphones, tablets, modems – to get a feel for the process. They liked the results and kept FirstNet “in their back pocket.”

“We have a lot of branches in hurricane territory, so Todd’s team had already been planning because we’ve gone through those type of storms,” explains Howard Hyche, vice president of IT at Blossman Gas, which has more than 85 locations in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states. “We’re always trying to think ahead and about how we would communicate. So, it’s something we were already looking at.”

When Helene moved into the Gulf, Blossman Gas took notice. The team thought the storm might track toward its Mississippi headquarters, but it followed a more northeastern path. Blossman Gas felt it dodged a bullet in Mississippi, but “hours later, the Carolinas are under severe flooding conditions,” Stinnette recalls.

With the help of FirstNet, Blossman Gas deployed assets and sent devices rapidly to strategic locations in the Southeast – by regular carrier and by having employees in the region drive the devices to needed destinations. Stinnette says devices are also available to FirstNet subscribers at AT&T stores.

“This was the first time we knew we had a lot of other people from other parts of the business going to a location,” Hyche says. “We didn’t want them to get there and not be able to communicate.”

After Blossman Gas team members had the devices in hand, Hyche adds, “We felt confident in the communication – they all felt confident – and it allowed them to do their jobs much quicker without having to stand in the right spot to get a cell signal or get onto a network.”

Because FirstNet allowed Blossman Gas to revive its communications, the company also was able to install Starlink for temporary satellite internet service at branch locations. It could use its software again and conduct business as usual, all in a matter of days.

“FirstNet facilitated a lot of things that we would not have been able to do otherwise because basic telephone communication was gone,” Stinnette says.

Blossman Gas now has about 100 FirstNet devices, and it’s weighing additional options for the future.
“Everybody wants a FirstNet phone,” Hyche laughs. “We cover a lot of ground, and we want to make sure we’re prepared everywhere.”

In reflecting on the company’s response to Helene, Hyche considers the big picture for the propane industry.

“Being part of that responding network is extremely important for your community,” he says.

None of which is possible without the ability to communicate.

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