If a train derails and spills hazardous materials in your community, is your agency prepared with the right communication capabilities to address this large-scale emergency?

As a federal agency serving the public safety community, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) works with public safety agencies to evaluate your communications capabilities. We offer an Operational Capabilities Workshop to help determine what technologies you have and identify any gaps in incident response.

What is an Operational Capabilities Workshop

An Operational Capabilities Workshop enhances public safety’s incident response and helps agencies operationalize FirstNet.

During the workshop, a scenario is presented. It may be a train derailment with HAZMAT spillage or a hurricane with flooding. Scenarios are typically generalized but realistic for the community.

The agency evaluates 20 or more capabilities available to assist in responding to the scenario. These capabilities can include everything from air monitoring and gas line maps to location tracking and equipment dispatch. Participants rank the top five capabilities needed to best manage the scenario and discuss why those five are priorities.

Why request a workshop

Emergency management agencies get multiple benefits from Operational Capabilities Workshops. The workshops help develop preparedness plans that leverage all technology options available to an agency.

FirstNet has a robust ecosystem of solutions designed for public safety response, which are described in the workshop. The conversations generated by the workshop often take a deep dive into specific broadband solutions for response and recovery operations.

For instance, a workshop might address the range of ways to establish or boost coverage using a FirstNet deployable. Different solutions are available depending on whether coverage is needed indoors, on an island, or for a crowded event.

After the workshop, FirstNet Authority staff can follow up with more detailed information. This might mean connecting agencies to FirstNet subject matter experts, providing fact sheets, or setting up meetings about the topic. Every agency has different needs, and these resources can help them identify the right solutions for their specific situation.

Who can participate

Any public safety agency can request an Operational Capabilities Workshop from the FirstNet Authority at no cost. The number of participants ranges from a small group of emergency managers to a larger group from multiple agencies. The workshops are tailored to fit the audience.

Emergency management may choose to invite their partner agencies. This can include first responders, like firefighters and law enforcement officers, who join you in the emergency operations center for every incident. This could also include extended primary partners, like transportation and utilities, for a more comprehensive review of response and recovery capabilities.

Other workshops available

In addition to the Operational Capabilities Workshop, the FirstNet Authority also conducts Coverage Workshops. In these engagements, we facilitate a discussion about where coverage is most important for the participating agencies and why they prioritize those areas.

We recently held a Coverage Workshop with a statewide interoperability committee. During our discussion about coverage needs, responses ranged from establishing coverage where none exists in a remote region to addressing a dead spot in a building shadow in an urban area. Ultimately, the group prioritized coverage along the state’s northern border with Canada. The area — while sparsely populated — is popular for recreation and important to national security, so reliable communications are essential.

We work with public safety to identify areas that could benefit from broader coverage. The FirstNet Authority takes this information into account, along with other public safety factors and network considerations, to ensure future coverage enhancements maximize investment dollars and make the biggest impact to public safety operations.

Agencies can request a Coverage Workshop as a standalone event or in conjunction with an Operational Capabilities Workshop.

More benefits

These workshops build the FirstNet Authority’s knowledge of how responders use FirstNet and how we can invest in the network to make it better for public safety.

The FirstNet Authority recently announced a network investment totaling $8 billion over 10 years. Thousands of new FirstNet cell sites will be built across the country — including 1,000 new sites within the next two years. Beyond the initial $6.3 billion investment, the FirstNet Authority anticipates additional investments over the next decade to deliver Band 14 coverage enhancements. These coverage investments will reflect public safety factors and network considerations, all in support of public safety response operations.

What else to know about workshops

Operational Capabilities and Coverage Workshops are conducted by senior public safety advisors from the FirstNet Authority. We either host an in-person event at your agency’s headquarters or set up a virtual workshop. On average, each workshop lasts about two hours from start to finish.

Contact your public safety advisor if your agency would benefit from an Operational Capabilities Workshop, a Coverage Workshop, or both.