In the rolling hills of northeastern Pennsylvania, Valley Regional Fire and Rescue serves as a vital resource for its community. With paid EMS paramedics and volunteer firefighters, the combination department protects residents, travelers, and critical infrastructure across a busy and strategically important region.
The department’s jurisdiction includes major transportation corridors that power commerce and connect communities across state lines. “One of the key pieces for Valley Regional Fire is our protection of vital infrastructure. We maintain a large portion of Interstate 81 and Interstate 80 every day. Sometimes it’s 100,000 vehicles on a busy holiday weekend,” Fire Chief Brice Dalrymple said.
Beyond the highways, the department’s response area includes a municipal airport, local schools, and proximity to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. The stakes are high — and so is the need for reliable communication.
Improving resiliency and situational awareness with FirstNet
Valley Regional Fire and Rescue adopted FirstNet to ensure connectivity in the field and resiliency at their facility.
The agency’s headquarters have embedded FirstNet backup services, ensuring that their responders can communicate in any emergency. Dalrymple explained, “If there is an interruption in key services in the area, like internet access, we’re still able to maintain communication with the 9-1-1 center, and MDTs [mobile data terminals] stay up.”
In the field, FirstNet’s reliable connectivity is improving situational awareness and, in turn, improving responder safety. Supervisors can access live camera feeds, powered by FirstNet, to support crews in real time and provide real-time guidance.
That additional visibility can make a difference during complex responses. “We may be able to provide updates or information to the crew, something that they may not be seeing to help them out on a major incident,” said EMS Deputy Chief Michael J. McMahon.
A new tower strengthens coverage in the valley
In 2025, the department joined Congressman Bob Bresnahan, the FirstNet Authority, and AT&T to celebrate three new cell sites that have improved coverage for first responders in Drums, Hazleton, and Larksville.
For Valley Regional Fire and Rescue, the investment in coverage represents more than infrastructure — it’s about safeguarding the community and the critical corridors that run through it.
“Now that we have an additional tower in the valley, communications will be a hundred times faster,” said EMS Chief Joe Lomino. “I’d like to thank AT&T and FirstNet for coming out here and investing in our communities.”
In a region where highways carry thousands of vehicles each day and critical infrastructure underpins local and national commerce, reliable communication isn’t optional — it’s essential. Through FirstNet, Valley Regional Fire and Rescue is strengthening its ability to protect what matters most.
“For emergency services, the FirstNet program is something that we absolutely need,” McMahon concluded.
