safety
Lightning strike damages McEwen TACN tower, but Dickson County emergency communications stay online
By Jaxie Pidgeon at WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate)
· July 13, 2026
· 1 min read
A lightning strike damaged a communications tower in McEwen that helps provide emergency radio coverage for Dickson County, but first responders never lost service because of backup coverage built into the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network, or TACN.
Why this matters in The Nashville
The fact that emergency communications in Dickson County remained uninterrupted despite the lightning strike damage to the McEwen TACN tower is a testament to the redundancy built into the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network. This backup coverage is crucial in rural areas like Dickson County, where reliable emergency response times can be a matter of life and death. The TACN system's ability to seamlessly switch to alternative towers in the event of an outage ensures that first responders can continue to communicate effectively, even in the face of unexpected disruptions. As the region continues to grow and develop, the importance of a robust and resilient emergency communications infrastructure will only continue to grow, making investments in systems like TACN a vital part of maintaining public safety in communities like Dickson County.
About this story
Original reporting by WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate) . The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 13, 2026 ·
Source: WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A lightning strike damaged a communications tower in McEwen that helps provide emergency radio coverage for Dickson County, but first responders never lost service because of backup coverage built into the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network, or TACN.
When was this published? This article was first published on July 13, 2026 by WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jaxie Pidgeon at WKRN News 2 (ABC affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Nashville, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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