The First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet Authority) Technology Headquarters in Boulder, CO - home to the FirstNet Innovation and Test Lab and a future experience center - continues to be a focal point for transforming the future of public safety communications for first responders.
In this tour of the Lab, Michael Van Zuiden, Senior Director for the Lab, walks through the state-of-the-art facility to explain the Lab’s pivotal work supporting public safety. The Lab operates as a plug and play environment for the FirstNet Authority team to test the standards based mission critical functions and features of the FirstNet network.
“We’re currently verifying quality of service, priority, and preemption on the production network in the Lab,” explains Van Zuiden. “For the future, we’re looking at doing scenario based testing.” Future lab testing will look to replicate the type of network saturation that users can experience in large emergencies, disasters or planned events.
In addition to the FirstNet Lab, the FirstNet Authority is developing an experience program for public safety that will allow them to discover current and future technologies, understand the value of the FirstNet network and experience solutions in a way that is relevant to their agency operations. The program is envisioned to include a future experience center located in the Boulder headquarters where public safety can get hands-on with technology, as well as the ability to take experiences on the road across the country.
The FirstNet Authority recently welcomed Kim Coleman Madsen to the team to coordinate and design public safety engagement opportunities at the future experience center. Coleman Madsen most recently worked for the Colorado Broadband Office and has more than 20 years of experience working for public safety entities and in the public safety communications industry.
To learn more about how the Lab and future experience center will directly support public safety and to stay updated on the future public safety experience center, visit FirstNet.gov.
