Aimed at strengthening emergency communications in a Dixie County community devastated by three hurricanes in little more than a year, U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Gainesville, joined AT&T, the FirstNet Authority and local first responders to cut the ribbon on a new FirstNet coverage site in Horseshoe Beach.
According to a July 7 press release from Cammack’s office, Horseshoe Beach took direct hits from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby and Helene. Hurricane Idalia made landfall in August 2023, followed by Hurricane Debby in August 2024 and Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Cammack’s office said Helene struck the Big Bend coast as a Category 4 storm, bringing an estimated storm surge of more than 15 feet.
In the release, Mayor Jeff Williams said the storms caused widespread destruction in the small coastal community. Between Idalia and Helene alone, the town lost roughly 175 of its 365 homes.
The new tower connects Horseshoe Beach to FirstNet, the nationwide public safety communications network built by AT&T in partnership with the FirstNet Authority. The network provides police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel with priority and preemption access during emergencies, allowing first responder communications to take precedence when commercial networks become congested.
Cammack serves on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has jurisdiction over FirstNet.
The announcement comes as FirstNet continues a nationwide expansion effort. In January 2026, the FirstNet Authority directed AT&T to deploy more than 135 new cell sites to address coverage gaps identified by public safety agencies as part of a more than $2 billion investment in network improvements.
According to AT&T’s January 2026 congressional testimony, approximately 30,600 public safety agencies and organizations nationwide use FirstNet.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee also held a hearing on FirstNet’s performance and reauthorization in February 2026. The House later passed legislation in April and is awaiting the Senate with a bill.
Cammack’s office said the Horseshoe Beach tower was developed after emergency communications failures during recent hurricanes left first responders without reliable connectivity.
The congresswoman said she worked directly with AT&T, the FirstNet Authority and town officials to bring the site to the community.
“When Helene hit, the men and women protecting Horseshoe Beach couldn’t get a signal. In a storm, that’s the difference between a rescue and a recovery,” Cammack said. “This town has rebuilt twice in three years. Nobody here quits, and neither will we. This site is the start, and we are going to keep building until every first responder on this coast can count on a signal.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Rep. Cammack helps unveil new FirstNet site to increase disaster response
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
