Kareem B. " 5 " / " 8 ".
And the 9-1-1 call over land lines would not have helped get the emergency vehicles there much sooner.
Why didn't this community just chip in and get a satellite phone, or satellite internet, and then set up some kind of "phone booth" so they can all make calls reliably?
This page says they can get fast internet over satellite. Build a local area network with either WiFi, or thick ethernet cable (they still make it). Hire the local store to do your utility billing, add some VOIP phones, and you're set.
http://www.satsig.net/ivsat.htm Screw SBC.