(Chicago, Ill.) – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) presented the Patriot Award to five leaders in public safety today, recognizing their leadership in using FirstNet to make communities safer.
The Patriot Award, established in 2023, honors trailblazers in public safety for their innovative use of  broadband technologies to protect and safeguard their communities. The award was presented by FirstNet Authority Executive Director and CEO Joe Wassel at 5x5: The Public Safety Innovation Summit.
The 2024 distinguished recipients represent the 911/emergency communications, emergency management, fire service, law enforcement, and national security public safety communities. Recipients include:
Robert Barbera serves as Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation’s Public Safety and Emergency Management Division. He oversees the city’s 911 call centers, data centers, and radio communication facilities. A pioneer in emerging technologies, he has led the integration of FirstNet into daily operations, equipping police officers with FirstNet devices, using the network to support drone operations, and bringing compact rapid deployables (CRDs) to the city to ensure coverage in any incident.
Shawn Talmadge, State Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, has served in emergency response at the state and local level for over 25 years. Mr. Talmadge has led efforts to improve Virginia’s emergency communications, including enhancing interoperability, expanding the use of emerging technologies, and strengthening cyber resiliency statewide. He has promoted the use of FirstNet among public safety and encouraged the integration of broadband communications into emergency plans. Mr. Talmadge has represented the National Governors Association on the FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisory Committee since 2021.
Chief Dan Munsey serves as Fire Chief and Fire Warden of the San Bernardino Fire Protection District. Chief Munsey also serves as chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Technology Council, working with his peers and the fire community to integrate technology into the fire service. As a FirstNet user and advocate of public safety broadband, he has worked with the FirstNet Authority to develop resources to assist fire agencies as they adopt FirstNet and other broadband capabilities.
Chief Joe Duvall of the Dallas Police Department in Georgia is a pioneer in public safety communications. In 2021, he migrated his entire department to FirstNet, including patrol operations and dispatch, becoming the first agency in the state — and one of the first in the nation — to completely switch from land mobile radios to broadband communications. During his tenure as chief of police, the City of Dallas has been recognized in the top five percent of safest cities in Georgia.
Deputy Fire Chief Robert Simmons is an Army Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran who has served as the Deputy Fire Chief of Redstone Arsenal, a U.S. Army Base, since 2017. He leads FirstNet infrastructure projects at Redstone Arsenal and is an advocate for bringing broadband capabilities to other Department of Defense (DOD) entities. To this end, he has conducted multiple tech demonstrations for DOD stakeholders and has helped shape the Army’s policy and strategic directives on how to integrate FirstNet into the Army first responder community.
Speaking about the awardees, FirstNet Authority Executive Director and CEO Joe Wassel stated, “I am honored to recognize these trailblazers from our public safety community. Through their leadership, they have delivered innovation and connectivity to many public safety agencies and individuals, enabling them to better serve their communities and help save lives.”
