Palisades Fire Recovery: How AkinsIT Reconnected a Displaced School in 3 Weeks

When wildfires swept through Pacific Palisades, California, Palisades Charter High School (PCHS) faced a devastating loss: its Main Distribution Frame (MDF) was destroyed, leaving the school without internet, internal communications, or digital learning capabilities. With students displaced and the school relocating to a temporary Sears building in Santa Monica, the urgency to restore connectivity was paramount. AkinsIT was called in to execute a full network rebuild — under extreme time pressure and in an entirely new location.

The Crisis

The wildfire damage triggered a full-scale infrastructure emergency:

• Complete loss of firewall, switches, and access points
• No internet or internal communications, halting digital learning and administrative operations
• Severe infrastructure damage left the school disconnected, despite existing backups — core systems were physically destroyed, rendering recovery impossible without a full rebuild
• Urgent relocation to a temporary site, requiring a complete network deployment from the ground up

With many students having lost their homes, restoring connectivity wasn’t just about education — it was about restoring normalcy.

AkinsIT’s Rapid Response

AkinsIT mobilized immediately:

• Emergency Site Assessment: Conducted within hours to evaluate damage and define recovery priorities
• Expedited Procurement: Critical hardware sourced and configured on an accelerated timeline
• Accelerated Deployment: Installation teams worked extended hours to restore core infrastructure at the new site

Solution Delivered

AkinsIT implemented a full network rebuild:

• Firewall: A next-gen firewall restored secure access and protected sensitive data
• Switches: High-performance switches re-established backbone connectivity
• Access Points: A new fleet of access points ensured reliable Wi-Fi across classrooms, offices, and outdoor areas

Results

Connectivity Restored in Less Than 3 Weeks: Despite the scale of damage and relocation, AkinsIT completed the full deployment in under 21 days — minimizing disruption to learning and operations

Enhanced Security & Resilience: The new infrastructure included fire-resistant housing and disaster recovery protocols

Future-Ready Network: The scalable design supports smart classrooms, cloud-based learning, and future expansion — even beyond the temporary site

Client Feedback

PCHS administrators praised AkinsIT for their speed, professionalism, and technical excellence, noting that the team delivered a robust solution under intense pressure and tight deadlines.