The FirstNet Authority has made it a priority to bring broadband to all first responders — local, state, federal, and tribal. The FirstNet Authority is helping tribal nations integrate broadband into public safety operations by developing guidance and collaborating on best practices with tribal organizations like the Indian Gaming Association.
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Thunderbird and Whale was the first-ever national-level exercise fully planned and executed by tribal nations. Lynda Zambrano, Executive Director of the National Tribal Emergency Management Council, recounts her team’s approach to the exercise and how they maximized resources to benefit tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest.
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. 9-1-1 leaders looked to technology for a solution. Through FirstNet, the nationwide public-safety broadband network, first responders had access to a secure, reliable connection outside of the ECC.
FirstNet is an important tool for firefighters as they battle a fire. Outside the blazes, the network can also enhance the fire service’s community risk reduction efforts. The FirstNet Authority engages with the fire community on how FirstNet can support the “five E’s” of risk reduction: enforcement, engineering, education, emergency response, and economic incentives.
During an emergency, 9-1-1 is the public’s first point of contact—which presents unique challenges for telecommunicators. Andrea Baughn, Indiana’s deputy statewide interoperability coordinator and 9-1-1 liaison, shared how her state is supporting emergency communication centers and how FirstNet can support the unique challenges of 9-1-1.