February 16, 1968 was a momentous day for public safety — it marked the first time a 9-1-1 call was ever made. In the five decades since, emergency communication centers and their dedicated teams of telecommunicators have become the first touchpoint for emergency response.
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The aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City highlighted the critical need for dependable communications among first responders during emergencies and disasters.
![On the right, adults in a workshop style classroom listen to a female speaker standing in front of a presentation, on the left are the words "Roadmap Engagement Fairfax, Virginia" and a graphic of a stylized network](/sites/default/files/styles/20240918_header_img/public/field/image/roadmap_darkblue.jpg?itok=4_buLgJN "On the right, adults in a workshop style classroom listen to a female speaker standing in front of a presentation, on the left are the words "Roadmap Engagement Fairfax, Virginia" and a graphic of a stylized network")
As part of our Roadmap Engagements, the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet Authority) Public Safety Advocacy (PSA) team was pleased to recently hold a Mission Critical Services Workshop in Fairfax County, VA.
FirstNet deployables were used by the Yankton Sioux Tribe Police Department in South Dakota, where rough terrain physically limits LTE coverage. During a critical search-and-rescue mission, the department reached out to the FirstNet Authority and AT&T, which deployed a SatCOLT within hours.
The latest stop along our public safety roadmap led the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to Atlanta, Ga., last week for a regional forum with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). As a policy and research organization for the nation’s law enforcement community, PERF is delivering a series of forums that explore the adoption of FirstNet by police and other public safety users around the nation.