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A VW bug sits inside the ruins of a burned down house and garage.
30 Jan

California Camp Fire is Reminder of Responders’ Sacrifice

Edward Parkinson describes how he joined the Western Fire Chiefs Association and public safety officials for a site visit to the burn area of the Camp Fire in northern California. This trip was an opportunity for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to learn about the public safety response to the fires that devastated Paradise, California—a town of 27,000 residents in the foothills East of Chico—directly from those fire chiefs and other first responders who were on the ground during the wildfire.

Front view of an ambulance, including its lights.
24 Jan

With FirstNet, a New Era of Situational Awareness

The age of FirstNet stands to deliver situational awareness and data for Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), whether for emergency managers in rural or metro areas in the US. When police needed to search a 300-acre wooded property in rural Alabama, they used a mix of traditional police work and cutting-edge technology to try to find evidence that could provide a long-sought break in a missing persons case.

A City of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue uniformed officer speaks into a smartphone. Behind him are music festival attendees.
23 Jan

FirstNet Performs at Life is Beautiful Festival

When the Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival debuted in 2013, the home grown music festival catered mostly to residents in local and surrounding areas. Since that inaugural event six years ago, the three-day festival in September 2018 attracted 180,000 visitors from all 50 states and 24 countries to the roughly 18-block radius. Factor in that the City of Las Vegas also played host to the iHeart Radio Music Festival and a Presidential visit that week, and it is a testament to the months of advance planning and coordination by city planners and public safety officials alike to keep multiple large events running smoothly and without major incidents.

Brent Williams, Dr. Paul Zeeb, and Jack Rupp sit around a table which holds a laptop and a microphone.
18 Jan

Data sharing, cost savings incentivize Local EMS to adopt FirstNet

Brent Williams, guest host of the FirstNet Authority’s Public Safety First podcast, talks with Dr. Paul Zeeb, Medical Director for the Metropolitan Emergency Communications Consortium in Central Ohio, and Plain Township (OH) Assistant Fire Chief Jack Rupp. Both underscored that during emergency response, the ability to share data quickly during critical and routine incidents is imperative to ensuring patients receive the best quality care available.  

A photo of Ed Reynolds, accompanied by the American flag and the words "Remembering Ed Reynolds, A FirstNet pioneer"
04 Jan

Remembering Ed Reynolds, a FirstNet Pioneer

The First Responder Network Authority team is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Board member Ed Reynolds on New Year’s Day.  Ed was inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame just a few months ago after an accomplished career in wireless technology spanning several decades.

A man writes on a easel at the front of a room filled with onlookers, some of whom are in military dress.
03 Dec

Guam Workshop Highlights FirstNet Capabilities for Island Communities

Last week, the First Responder Network Authority held an Agency Operations and Technology Workshop in Tamuning, Guam, with nearly 80 public safety stakeholders in attendance.  Local, federal, and military agencies participated in the conference with representation from Guam’s Emergency Management, Fire, Police, DoD, and military.  Representatives from American Samoa and Hawaii also participated in the conference.

Todd Early and Edward Horowitz lead a 2016 PSAC meeting with FirstNet.
20 Nov

Todd Early To Chair the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC)

Todd Early is announced as the new Chair of First Responder Network Authority’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). Todd replaces Interim PSAC Chair Paul Patrick, who was named to the First Responder Network Authority Board. He brings more than 25 years of professional experience in public safety to this leadership role.

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