FirstNet Authority Executive Director and CEO Joe Wassel initiated the Patriot Siren leadership series, a new program to unite the FirstNet Authority executive team in developing a clear understanding of the organization’s culture, strategy, and goals. The series has brought the team to operationally relevant locations and resulted in strategies and priorities that ensure the FirstNet Authority is ready when called.

FirstNet Authority Board Member Mayor Billy Hewes beats the drum for public safety communication and coordination. With a lifetime career of service and decades long career in public service, he strives to ensure the FirstNet network works when it is needed most. We had the opportunity to sit down with Mayor Hewes and delve into his views on the importance of FirstNet in Gulfport, the unique role of a mayor during emergencies, and his journey working in public service.

Citywide deployments of FirstNet make operations more efficient by creating seamless communication and data transfer among all response partners. Three law enforcement officials shared how their citywide FirstNet deployment has been critical to ensuring everyone is informed and working together on a coordinated response.

The volunteer EMS community is a vital part of our nation’s public safety efforts, especially in rural areas. FirstNet provides important communication benefits to all first responders. For smaller volunteer EMS agencies, FirstNet levels the playing field, giving access to the same quality of services and products that bigger agencies with more resources have.

Today’s firefighters must maintain connectivity, whether the mission takes them into remote wilderness areas or dense urban buildings. These places can be at the edges of where networks reach. By boosting signal strength, high-power user equipment on FirstNet helps firefighters stay connected wherever the call takes them.