Systems and methods for emergency operation of a wireless communication system

A communications system for providing wireless radio frequency (RF) communication service to a coverage area, the system comprising:

• a first unit that comprises:
• downlink circuitry coupled to at least one power amplifier and configured to radiate a downlink radio frequency signal from at least one antenna into the coverage area;
• uplink circuitry coupled to a low noise amplifier and configured to receive from the at least one antenna an uplink radio frequency signal;
• an RF protection function coupled to the at least one power amplifier, the RF protection function configured to disable the at least one power amplifier when the RF protection function determines that at least one parameter of the at least one power amplifier has deviated outside of an operating specification;
• an emergency configuration control module executed by a controller, the emergency configuration control module configured to determine when an emergency event is occurring within the coverage area as a function of a first set of input signals, wherein emergency configuration control module is further configured to enter phase one operation and inhibit disabling of the at least one power amplifier by the RF protection function in response to determining that the emergency event is occurring.