http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/27/100/?nc=1

Some selected quotes:

"All phone communications to the state emergency operations center
(EOC) went down as early as 2 AM Saturday, returned and then went out a
second time around 5 AM,"

"all telephone service, including the Hardin County E-911 facility, had
gone down,"

"Cell phones soon overloaded and also shut down, basically stranding
the whole county without outside contact except via Amateur Radio."

"conventional telephone systems failed in Hardin County because the
provider had installed all its systems in a basement area that
flooded."

"The Red Cross had three disaster relief teams in the Millville area,
and cell phone communication was not reliable,"

"Kentucky Adjutant General Lt Gen Donald Storm and Kentucky Division of
Emergency Management Director Maj Gen Maxwell Bailey "were pleased with
the way Amateur Radio functioned in providing communication when all
else failed."

73 de Jim, N2EY