Montana is a rural state with diverse terrain ranging from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. This varied landscape and equally varied climate can lead to natural disasters, like wildfires. In 2017, 21 fires burned nearly 1.3 million acres of land. Responders in Montana need to be prepared for emergencies like these.

The First Responder Network Authority team recognizes the unique communications challenges that Montana first responders face. We have been working closely with Montana public safety officials since 2014, capturing their feedback and translating it into the design of the FirstNet network. During the development of state deployment plans, our team worked hand-in-hand with Montana leaders to ensure the plan was customized to address their needs, including:

• Expanding coverage in rural and tribal areas, where many Montanans reside
• Enabling state, local, tribal, and federal agencies to effectively communicate and coordinate along the border
• Increasing capacity during emergencies and natural disasters through the use of deployables

Following this close collaboration, Montana chose to adopt the plan and “opt in” to FirstNet. Today, we continue to meet regularly with state and local officials to discuss their public safety broadband needs. In 2019 alone, our team met with Montana public safety officials more than 20 times. Our engagements in Montana included the Rocky Mountain Rural Trauma Symposium, the Montana Indian Nations Working group, and the Montana Disaster and Emergency Management Forum. Engagements like these are crucial to the ongoing success of the network and the advancement of public safety communications across the state and the nation.

Connect with our team of Public Safety Advisors to learn about FirstNet in your community.