Emergency Management
The age of FirstNet stands to deliver situational awareness and data for Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), whether for emergency managers in rural or metro areas in the US. When police needed to search a 300-acre wooded property in rural Alabama, they used a mix of traditional police work and cutting-edge technology to try to find evidence that could provide a long-sought break in a missing persons case.
When Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina in September 2018, FirstNet provided reliable coverage and connection to public safety agencies in Whiteville. A FirstNet SatCOLT (satellite cell on light truck) was deployed to the area, and first responders used enhanced push-to-talk and to communicate in the aftermath of the storm.
During the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race, the Rhode Island DMAT's Medical Reserve Corps (RI MRC) used FirstNet's secure connection for field hospital operations.
The sharing of data via FirstNet is enabling first responders to have more information available at their fingertips to help with their lifesaving mission. Today, through over-the-top push-to-talk (PTT) apps, first responders can use FirstNet’s always-on, reliable connection to collaborate — including sharing pictures, videos, texts, and other data in real time. With enhanced communications, public safety can be better prepared to keep themselves and the communities they serve safe.
Priority and preemption are a few of the crucial features FirstNet provides to first responders, especially during large planned events with thousands of participants, such as the annual International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque. In years past, first responders at the festival reported poor connectivity on commercial networks due to attendees’ high volume of voice calls, texts, and social media posts. But using FirstNet, public safety’s dedicated network, for this year’s festival, they had a dramatically different—and better—experience.
Host Dave Buchanan is joined by Amanda Hilliard, Senior Director of Business Operations, Public Safety Advocacy, for a discussion on the importance of engaging the public safety community and the evolution of FirstNet’s advocacy efforts. Episode 2 also features first responders sharing their initial perspectives on the FirstNet network.
Whether securing large events or responding to local emergencies, it can be a challenge for public safety to keep track of where first responders are positioned. Historically, tracking first responders in the field meant repeated radio roll-calls where units identify with their call sign and location and incident scribes map the scene on a white board – a labor-intensive process that didn’t provide the up-to-the-minute situational awareness incident commanders need for optimal decision-making.
Public safety agencies in Whiteville joined FirstNet, providing local first responders with access to a reliable and secure network.
When the town of Newport, Rhode Island hosted the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race, it was the only North American stopover out of 12 cities on six continents during this around-the-world sailing event.
In May 2018, over 100,000 tourists and sailing enthusiasts descended on Newport, Rhode Island to witness one of the world’s toughest sailings competitions. FirstNet outfitted first responders with FirstNet devices, which enabled fire, police, emergency management and EMS to stay connected and coordinated.
Emergency managers are at the center of community preparedness and response should an emergency or disaster strike. As hurricane season is upon us, it is a reminder of the important work of our nation’s emergency managers who put service to their communities first in times of need.
When the town of Brookfield, Connecticut was hit hard by a tremendous storm with wind speeds over 100 miles per hour, most of the area’s communications infrastructure was damaged and overloaded. For Brookfield Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Ellis the lack of communications threatened his ability to coordinate multiple agencies on scene providing mutual aid. Thanks to a quick response, Brookfield first responders were outfitted with 30 FirstNet-ready devices connected to a FirstNet SatCOLT (satellite cell on light truck).