The Washington County Sheriff’s office was among the first in the nation – and the very first in Maryland – to subscribe to FirstNet. In 2018, the southern portion of the county was badly affected by a powerful line of thunderstorms. Within hours, FirstNet mobilized a Satellite Cell on Light Truck (SatCOLT), boosting the ability to communicate and coordinate emergency response efforts.

EMS using FirstNet are already seeing its possibilities and learning how the dedicated communication system dramatically supports their work in the field.

More than 3,600 agencies have now joined FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network dedicated to America’s first responders. As public safety agencies sign up for FirstNet and tap into the key capabilities of their network, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) continues to work hand-in-hand with them to understand their current and future broadband needs.

At the 2018 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, public safety agencies employed a drone detection system to monitor restricted airspace above the event and surrounding areas. FirstNet provided the critical connection needed to support the system as well as on-the-ground operations.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators line the streets of Boston to witness the Boston Marathon. In 2018, 80 ruggedized FirstNet devices with push-to-talk and location-tracking applications helped Boston and Brookline police, fire, and incident response teams protect the community.