North Carolina

The rural mountainous terrain presents a challenge for Swain County, North Carolina public safety communications.

Swain County, North Carolina’s rugged terrain and remote geography have long presented challenges for first responders who depend on communications to protect residents and visitors. With the addition of a new FirstNet cell tower and integrating the network as a wireless backup solution, the Swain County Emergency Communication Center and surrounding public safety agencies now benefit from expanded coverage and improved backup connectivity.

Hurricane Helene caused widespread devastation throughout the southeast United States in late 2024. Public safety leaders in Tennessee and North Carolina worked with partners across their state to ensure 9-1-1 calls could go through and responders had the communications they needed. FirstNet provided critical redundancy and resiliency during response and recovery efforts.

Executive Director Pokey Harris of North Carolina 9-1-1 Board explains how 9-1-1 call centers in the state remained connected during Hurricane Helene thanks to the statewide ESInet (Emergency Services IP Network), a uniformed enhanced 9-1-1 system fully equipped with FirstNet. When a call center lost connectivity, calls were rerouted, and 9-1-1 services were maintained through the statewide ESInet. Pre-planning and coordination ensured lifesaving connections, even during mass destruction and overwhelming conditions. 

In October of 2024, the North Carolina 911 Board deployed the FirstNet Wireless Redundant Solution to a public safety answering point (PSAP) whose infrastructure was obliterated by Hurricane Helene. The PSAP received and processed 911 calls for one month using FirstNet connectivity. Renee Gordon, Pokey Harris, Tom Rogers, and Josh Briggs share best practices and lessons learned from rolling out this solution across North Carolina, live at 5x5: The Public Safety Innovation Summit.  

In Swaine County, North Carolina, U.S. Senator Ted Budd and the FirstNet Authority joined local first responders, public safety officials, and company leaders to celebrate a new cell site delivering improved connectivity in Bryson City and rural Swain County and a new FirstNet collaboration with the North Carolina 911 Board.

The FirstNet Authority, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and AT&T joined public safety officials and community leaders in Alamance County, North Carolina to celebrate wireless infrastructure upgrades on cell sites in the county. The upgrades will help local first responders better communicate and serve their community.

The 33rd Annual Fire Prevention and Safety Symposium will be held July 31st through August 2nd. 2023 at the Hotel Ballast in Wilmington, North Carolina. This year NASFM's annual event will be held in conjunction with the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Coalition.

FirstNet’s Cell Booster Pro is a valuable tool for EMS to bridge the gap between FirstNet service in the field and when responders return to the station. This in-building solution boosts FirstNet coverage indoors where EMS officials work. Two EMS agencies that use the device share their experiences and advice for other agencies.

EMTs and paramedics can be called to duty in incredibly hard-to-reach locations, and they need connectivity where their mission takes them. Compact Rapid Deployables are a unique FirstNet coverage solution that keeps public safety connected even in the toughest spots.

From missing person searches to HAZMAT incidents and holiday celebrations, first responders in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Texas use drone technology to gather critical situational awareness during emergencies and planned events. With FirstNet, footage from the drones can be streamed seamlessly back to decision makers on the ground.

Fire departments around the country are investing in drone technology to keep firefighters safe. Division Chief Dan Cremeans of the Durham Fire Department in North Carolina explained how their drone program helped keep firefighters safe as they battled a fire at a fertilizer plant containing hundreds of tons of highly flammable chemicals.

FirstNet is furthering critical communications for first responders by expanding 5G, boosting dedicated in-building connectivity, and enhancing 9-1-1 resiliency across Tennessee with FirstNet as a wireless backup.

Before joining the FirstNet Authority as the EMS subject matter expert, Jon Olson spent 31 years working in EMS in Raleigh, North Carolina. We recently sat down with Jon to discuss his perspective on how the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network has evolved from concept to solution and how FirstNet will help advance EMS operations into the future.

 

NC Association of EMS Administrators Summer Conference

First responders in North Carolina are benefiting from FirstNet’s expanding coverage, boosted capacity, and new capabilities. FirstNet’s Band 14 infrastructure is bringing public safety agencies nationwide access to the network’s unique 5G features and functions.

Wayne County first responders in North Carolina are using FirsNet to expand coverage and capacity for their operations, in part due to a purpose built FirstNet cell tower in the county. O

Federal and local first responders from across North Carolina gathered for a joint-agency, critical incident communications training at Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point.

During a joint training exercise and demonstration at Military Ocean terminal Sunny Point in North Carolina, federal and local first responders from across the state experienced how FirstNet can connect agencies during emergencies and everyday operations.

 

Dedicated FirstNet Fleet Grows to 150 Deployable Assets Nationwide; FirstNet Rapid Response Expands Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk Suite; AT&T ESInet Integrates with the AT&T Wireless Network to Improve Response Times for 9-1-1 Calls