FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network is enhancing emergency communications for public safety agencies in Swain County, North Carolina by installing a new cell site and integrating FirstNet as a wireless backup solution at the Swain County Emergency Communications Center (ECC).
The North Carolina 911 Board, in partnership with AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), recently celebrated these advancements with a ribbon-cutting event at the Swain County ECC in August 2025.
Investing in coverage and redundancy
Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, Swain County’s rugged terrain and remote geography have long presented challenges for first responders who depend on communications to protect residents and visitors. With the addition of a new FirstNet cell tower, the ECC and surrounding public safety agencies now benefit from expanded coverage and improved backup connectivity.
Michael Cannon, Executive Director and CEO of the FirstNet Authority, said these upgrades reflect a shared commitment to strengthen communications for public safety professionals across the state.
“The public safety community called for more coverage in this area,” Cannon said. “We are delivering on our promise to public safety with a new tower as well as more redundancy for this ECC.”
A lifeline in the mountains
For Misty Tabor, Director of Emergency Management and 9-1-1 for Swain County, the improvements mark a turning point for emergency response in one of North Carolina’s most scenic but challenging regions. Tabor and her team are responsible for dispatching for the county sheriff’s office and Bryson City Police Department, as well as the county rescue squad, EMS department, and three local fire departments.
With Swain County’s mountainous terrain and limited infrastructure, communication has often been a challenge for both 9-1-1 callers and emergency responders who typically rely on radio communications.
“Since we are a large tourist area with a lot of water sports and hiking https://www.firstnet.gov/public-safety/firstnet-for/north-carolinatrails, we do receive a lot of water-related calls and calls that are on trails,” said Tabor. “Swain County is a rural area in that we have a lot of mountains, which block radio and cell phone signals. We also have limited cell phone towers, which create some dead spots for callers and also radio traffic for our emergency responders.”
Tarbor said the integration of FirstNet with the ESInet (Emergency Services IP Network) system provides critical backup for communications and helps ensure a faster response when emergencies occur.
“It lessens the lack of communication. It helps our citizens be able to get responders to them quickly,” she said. “The [FirstNet cell site] announcement is huge for us. That means that our citizens can call and receive the help that they need within a very short time frame. Whereas before, they would have to travel somewhere else to get cell service, then call in, and then it would delay response to their area.”
Advancing 9-1-1 communications across North Carolina
The Swain County technology advancements are part of a broader effort to modernize emergency communications across North Carolina. The North Carolina 911 Board is actively working to equip every ECC in the state with FirstNet capabilities, ensuring that agencies of all sizes have access to resilient, interoperable communications.
“We’re already 70 percent deployed, and by the end of the calendar year [2025], every primary 9-1-1 center funded by the North Carolina 911 Board will have FirstNet in place,” said Pokey Harris, Executive Director of the North Carolina 911 Board. “These capabilities give our PSAPs [Public Safety Answering Points] the redundancy and resiliency they need, whether it’s a blue-sky day or the worst day imaginable.”
This effort proved especially critical during Hurricane Helene, when PSAPs across the state relied on FirstNet and the statewide ESInet to maintain operations, support continuity of services, and quickly reestablish connectivity in storm-affected areas.
“Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina — entire communities were gone, homes demolished, even the land itself washed away”, said Harris. “During the storm, 9-1-1 centers lost telecom infrastructure, but because of our statewide ESInet and our partnership with AT&T, FirstNet, and the FirstNet Authority, we were able to reroute calls seamlessly.”
Public safety feedback advances the network
By expanding FirstNet coverage and strengthening redundancy, local agencies are gaining new capabilities to respond quickly and communicate reliably, even in the most remote areas of the state.
Cannon closed his remarks at the ribbon-cutting event in Swain County by emphasizing that continued collaboration will be essential to the network’s success.
“We need to continue to improve the network for tomorrow, both in terms of coverage and capabilities,” Cannon said. “Please continue to let us know what communication challenges you’re facing in the field now, and how the FirstNet Authority can help with your needs. You are the heartbeat of FirstNet.”
