One thing the 9-1-1 community learned from the pandemic was the need to plan for alternate ways to work. Rather than be tied to workstations at fixed locations, 9-1-1 telecommunicators need flexibility to remotely take, dispatch, and supervise calls. In December 2021, Maryland telecommunicators put FirstNet to the test, demonstrating the network’s connectivity and reliability during remote operations.

Local and state public agencies and hundreds of attendees gathered in Sonoma to participate in a full-scale earthquake response exercise hosted by the California National Guard and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Fire Rescue Branch. At the response exercise, FirstNet was onsite to ensure that technology ran smoothly and supplied deployable assets like High Power User Equipment, or devices that have a cellular modem enabling users to connect to a cellular network.

 

How do FirstNet’s Z-Axis and Push-To-Talk work in real-life scenarios? The FirstNet Authority partnered with the Major County Sheriffs of America to conduct a technology trial of these capabilities. By putting the technology into the hands of officers on the job, we can evaluate its real-world usability, discover any adjustments needed, and plan for future upgrades.

Enhancing communications for public safety has been at the heart Captain John Vallarelli’s career. As he rose through the ranks of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department in New York, he oversaw many aspects of the agency’s communications systems, and he was instrumental in supporting interoperability for officers using the regional radio system and FirstNet.

Long before the rain starts falling or the wind starts blowing, first responders are focused on planning for hurricanes. Innovative features and functions on FirstNet and programs available through the FirstNet Authority help public safety agencies as they prepare for, respond to, and recover from these disasters.