Protecting the bustling population in Roseburg, Oregon and coordinating a large team of police officers requires reliable communication tools. For the Roseburg Police Department, the FirstNet network has been a game changer since the agency adopted the network in 2024.
FirstNet is integrated into officers’ equipment in several ways — their phones, in-vehicle routers and laptops all run over the public safety broadband network. These tools ensure that officers always remain connected, even when Mother Nature rears its ugly head.
Storms and floods cause widespread damage
On March 16, 2025, the city experienced record rainfall, periods of snow, and widespread flooding. Heavy rains led to record-high waters in Deer Creek in Willamette National Forest and triggered landslides and floods throughout the Umpqa Valley where Roseburg is situated. Dozens of homes in the valley and surrounding area were damaged.
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners declared a State of Emergency for the county due to extreme conditions brought by the foul weather.
Severe flooding and road closures posed challenges for residents trying to leave. As a result, the Roseburg Police Department and Roseburg Fire department went door to door, evacuating residents who needed help and bringing them to safe facilities throughout the area. “We had to get them out because the water rose pretty quickly,” said Gary Klopfenstein, Chief of the Roseburg Police Department.
FirstNet aids in evacuation efforts
Officers relied on the FirstNet network to coordinate logistics with firefighters. The police department also used the network to provide live updates throughout the operation, transmitting photos and data to local leaders so they could make informed decisions.
Klopfenstein’s team also used a variety of FirstNet-enabled applications to collect data and share their location with teammates, improving situational awareness.
“That storm caused massive damage to the area in a matter of hours,” said Klopfenstein. “For public safety, it was an all-hands-on deck situation and because we had been using FirstNet for over a year, I knew officers would not lose a connection as they went in various communities, door to door assisting with evacuations.”
A network they can count on
With such reliable service, Klopfenstein admitted his team can “start taking it for granted” that they don’t have to think about communications challenges in the field. He knows though that FirstNet is not done innovating and enhancing its services. Klopfenstein said he’s eager to see the network develop new capabilities, like satellite texting, in the future.
In the meantime, he hasn’t had to think about communication challenges since switching the department to FirstNet. “It’s just working,” he said.