In Corning, New York, local leaders are finding new ways to enhance public safety and improve communications across city departments with FirstNet — the nationwide broadband network built exclusively for public safety use. From real-time body camera streaming to improved data access in emergency vehicles, FirstNet is transforming how the city delivers public safety services while saving money and expanding coverage.
Enhancing interoperability across the city
Corning is already seeing tangible results with FirstNet. The city’s police, fire, and public works departments use the network to maintain seamless communication during emergencies and day-to-day operations.
“We’re using FirstNet service to stream body-cam video from officers in the field back to their supervisors at the station,” Corning City Manager Mark Ryckman explained. “We’re also using it to connect our mobile data terminals in police cruisers and fire engines.”
The city’s public works department is also integrating the network’s capabilities to support public safety operations such as flood control and traffic management.
“Having that type of service for our public works department enhances their ability to support the public safety mission,” Ryckman noted. “It’s really part of our smart city approach — to ensure interoperability between departments.”
Data transforming fire operations
The City of Corning Fire Department has integrated FirstNet into its daily operations to strengthen communication and data sharing across its small-city and rural mutual-aid environments.
The department uses FirstNet to support computer-aided dispatch; mapping; and access to preplans, hydrant data, and incident information directly from the field. The network’s dedicated public safety core provides reliable connectivity for tablets and mobile data terminals even when commercial networks are congested. Corning is also deploying High-Power User Equipment (HPUE) to enhance coverage when responding to surrounding rural communities, ensuring that firefighters remain connected during mutual-aid responses.
Going forward, the department is exploring how FirstNet can support biometric monitoring of firefighter vital signs. Officials are also evaluating location-based technologies that can more precisely identify the position of firefighters making entry into structures. Both applications would greatly improve firefighter safety.
A path to cost savings and reliable communications
Corning’s move toward FirstNet isn’t just improving communication — it’s helping manage budgets responsibly.
“Cost savings are very important to city managers, especially in New York State,” Ryckman said. “For public works, it’s time to begin phasing out the traditional LMR [land mobile radio] system, which is costly.”
FirstNet’s capabilities, such as priority and preemption, make it a viable option for municipalities looking to modernize. Priority and preemption ensure first responders stay connected, even when networks are congested. This can prove critical during large-scale incidents or emergencies when the public may flood networks with voice, text, and data demands.
Ryckman explained, “City managers that are looking for a more cost-effective way to improve their communications and provide public safety-grade services such as priority and preemption, they need to look no further than FirstNet.”
