On August 17, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the appointment of Robert Tipton (Tip) Osterthaler to serve as Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) Board. With decades of experience in both the public and private sector, he shares how he will work with public safety and draw on the strengths of FirstNet’s unique public-private partnership to enhance public safety’s network.

As a former Sheriff and elected official in the state of Minnesota, Richard Stanek has been engaged in public safety communications at the local, state, and national levels throughout his career. From working on a statewide LMR network to setting up a state-of-the-art 911 center to serving six years on the FirstNet Authority Board, he has seen firsthand how technology can help first responders do their jobs safer and more efficiently.

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) is dedicated to promoting the principles of emergency management and the work of those who protect communities during emergencies and disasters. As a member of the FirstNet Authority’s Public Safety Advisory Committee, IAEM provides input on issues that are essential to emergency managers.

Alachua County Fire and Rescue’s everyday operations depend on FirstNet. The EMS team uses FirstNet for priority services and to send health data directly from the ambulance to the hospital.

This blog post is part of the "Tech Talk" series focused on the FirstNet Authority’s standards development activities to support public safety. This post recaps discussions linked to public safety and other related topics from the 3GPP Plenary meetings that were conducted online June 29 – July 3, 2020. The FirstNet Authority represented public safety interests at the Plenary meetings.