During the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Plenary’s September 2023 meetings, there was continued progress on Release 18, including features of interest for public safety and the development on the stage 3 protocol work. Additionally, the meetings included planning on Release 19 features and the start of preliminary discussions for Release 20.

Renee Gordon, FirstNet Authority Board Vice Chair, has dedicated her career to public safety. In her roles as a 9-1-1 leader and police officer, she has seen first responders put to the test when faced with life-or-death decisions. In honor of National First Responders Day, she shares her perspectives as a first responder and how a responder’s risk calculus improves with FirstNet.

The remote region of Jackman, Maine, was experiencing dwindling healthcare options, especially on nights and weekends when the local health clinic was closed. Through an innovative telehealth project, the region now has 24/7 urgent care with the help of FirstNet. The network connects local paramedics to emergency physicians at a hospital 120 miles away, allowing them to treat patients after hours and improve access to quality of care across the region.

First responders respond to incidents in all types of environments—on land, in the air, and on water—and they need to be able to communicate wherever the mission takes them. The FirstNet Authority established a working group to study how public safety currently uses broadband for aviation and maritime operations and how it could be used in these environments in the future.

FirstNet Authority Board member Sheriff Kristin Graziano is a seasoned public safety leader with more than 30 years in law enforcement. We had the opportunity to catch up with Sheriff Graziano to discuss her proudest accomplishments, how FirstNet supports law enforcement, and her personal approach to public safety.