New Hampshire shares a 58-mile long border with Canada and three neighboring states. Its 1.3 million residents are scattered throughout the state’s valleys, mountains, and lake communities, which can make it difficult for first responders to respond to emergencies quickly.
The First Responder Network Authority team recognizes the unique communications challenges that New Hampshire first responders face. We have been working closely with New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire leaders to ensure the plan was customized to address their needs, including:
- Expanding rural coverage across the state, including the North Country, the Monadnock Region, and other rural areas
- Giving public safety agencies local control of their prioritized communications on the network
- Making “Bring Your Own Device” solutions available to support New Hampshire’s large contingent of volunteer responders
Following this close collaboration, New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire public safety officials more than 40 times. Our engagements in New Hampshire included the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatchers Association Annual Training Conference, a FirstNet User Forum, and a meeting on Customer Owned and Maintained systems. 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.
New Hampshire's FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisor
FirstNet in Action in New Hampshire
- The total solar eclipse in April brought massive crowds to 15 U.S. states in the path of totality. The FirstNet Authority began working with public safety officials two years in advance to incorporate broadband into their eclipse planning and support each state in unique ways to prepare for the influx of people
- Throughout the pandemic, FirstNet has been delivering our nation’s frontline public safety personnel a secure, dedicated wireless broadband service to keep mass vaccination centers connected and coordinated. When the New Hampshire’s Security and Emergency Management set up a mass vaccination clinic in Loudon last spring, the agency implemented FirstNet service for its communication needs. The FirstNet network was equally critical to healthcare providers and emergency managers setting up sites to administer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in Michigan and Maryland.
- As vaccines became available, the New Hampshire Department of Safety set up a large vaccination clinic in Loudon. “Go-kits” with cameras, battery packs, routers with FirstNet SIM cards, and other internet-based devices were used to oversee and coordinate the operation, and the ability to stream video footage to unified command was critical to decision-making.
- New Hampshire's first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of four new, purpose-built cell sites, as well as more than 100 other network enhancements. The sites are part of the FirstNet network expansion and will bring increased coverage, capacity, and capabilities to first responders across the state.
