Tennessee

Tennessee integrated FirstNet into its statewide public safety radio system, the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN), to provide redundant, resilient communications for first responders. From tornados that destroyed radio infrastructure to a daring flood rescue during Hurricane Helene, FirstNet provided the coverage to keep responders connected in crucial moments.

The First Responder Network Authority presented the Patriot Award to six distinguished leaders in public safety, recognizing their innovative use of broadband technologies to protect and safeguard their communities.

APCO 2023, APCO International’s Annual Conference & Expo, is the premier event for public safety communications officials, from frontline telecommunicators to comm center managers to public safety communications equipment and services vendors. Starting August 6, APCO 2023 offers four days of educational sessions, committee meetings and special events, paired with two full days of exhibits.

Tennessee is upgrading its 9-1-1 network and leading the nation by instituting FirstNet as backup for every primary public safety answering point or PSAP. Curtis Sutton, Executive Director of the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, discusses the lessons learned, the benefits of FirstNet, and the future of 9-1-1 in Tennessee.

FirstNet’s Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD) is a miniature cell tower that first responders can depend on to provide reliable coverage during emergencies.

FirstNet is advancing public safety in Tennessee by providing tools and resources that keep first responders connected when they experience outages.

The FirstNet Authority Board will convene an open public meeting of the Board and Board Committees. 

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.

First responders in Tennessee 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 Band 14 unique features and functions.

Tennessee first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T. 

The FirstNet Authority continues its after action review of the bombing of an AT&T building in Nashville, Tennessee, meeting last week with public safety officials and FirstNet subscribers in states that were affected by the service outage.

The Christmas Day bombing of an AT&T building in Nashville remains under investigation, and restoration of the damaged and destroyed buildings, property, and infrastructure continues. 

On Christmas morning, a motorhome packed with explosives detonated directly in front of the AT&T central office facility in Nashville. The bombing resulted in an outage that affected the Internet, phone, and wireless services of all major carriers, including FirstNet, in the local area as well the wider region.  The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) has been working closely with AT&T and local, state, and federal officials following the attack. Based upon initial analysis, it appears the FirstNet network infrastructure was not directly impacted by the explosion, and service continued operating on temporary battery power in the hours immediately following the event. However, because the bomb destroyed two local water mains, backup power generators were flooded and inoperable, and there was insufficient time to reroute all services before backup batteries were exhausted.

The Tennessee National Guard has been deployed across the state for incidents ranging from disaster relief after devastating tornadoes to pandemic response. FirstNet has provided the National Guard with a secure and reliable network that helped overcome communications challenges and allowed Guardsmen to serve their communities more efficiently. 

The FirstNet Authority’s Public Safety Advocacy team proactively reaches out to public safety to discuss FirstNet and elicit feedback and insight regarding their communication needs for public safety broadband and innovative technologies. In the East region, the team includes seven public safety advisors covering a geographically diverse region of 19 states.

Edward Parkinson was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the FirstNet Authority on March 12, 2020. One hundred days into the job, he reflects back on the creation of the FirstNet Authority and how far the organization has come, including recent investments that will prepare the network for the future.

Tennessee’s thriving music scenes in Nashville and Memphis drive tourism in the state, as do the campgrounds, trails, fishing streams, and natural beauty of its Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In March 2020, several tornadoes tore across middle Tennessee. In Putnam County, 80 miles outside of Nashville, an EF-4 tornado caused major damage to structures and a public safety radio tower. With communications severely limited, state and local first responders turned to FirstNet for coverage from deployables and push-to-talk on smartphones.

The Putnam County Emergency Operations Center used FirstNet to bolster communications after tornadoes tore a 60-mile path through western and middle Tennessee.