Apps

First responders rely on dogs for many tasks that no human or technology can do. As K9 units continue to proliferate across public safety, industry is designing new technologies to keep them safe and increase their effectiveness. Many of these technologies require a reliable, secure broadband connection to function properly.

In Hamilton County, Ohio, FirstNet’s robust and reliable platform is making it possible for technical dispatch teams responding to high-profile, large scale events to remain as fully functional as if they were operating within the four-walls of their Emergency Communications Center.

When a tornado struck 14.5 square miles and 12,000 properties of Beavercreek, Ohio, public safety utilized FirstNet to do damage assessments during recovery efforts. Beavercreek Township Fire Department Battalion Chief, Nathan Hiester shares why having a dedicated public safety network, when ‘those seconds actually count.’

On Memorial Day 2019, nearly 55 tornadoes touched down in eight states across the country. Ohio saw some of the worst damage, including an EF3 tornado that tore through Beavercreek Township. The Beavercreek Township Fire Department used FirstNet to assist with damage assessment efforts.

Officers with the Troy Police Department in New York rely on FirstNet for a differentiated emergency communications experience in the city’s densely populated urban setting. FirstNet’s priority and preemption service allows officers to stay connected, make calls, and send and receive information securely without signal delay or disruption.

A robust broadband ecosystem for public safety demands a proven pool of mobile apps based on the needs of the responder community. The FirstNet applications strategy is to enable the creation of public safety mobile applications while maintaining support for existing commercial applications. This will establish a portfolio of resilient, reliable, secure and easy-to-use mobile applications for first responders.

As technology rapidly evolves, more and more tools are becoming available to first responders. Over the past year, the FirstNet Authority has supported several innovation contests that encourage entrepreneurs, researchers, and public safety professionals to develop solutions to assist emergency responders. Brian Hobson, Director of the FirstNet Authority Enterprise Strategy Division, breaks down some of these contests and how the FirstNet Authority is helping drive innovation forward.

Coders and developers in Seattle participated in the Tech to Protect Challenge, sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and supported by the FirstNet Authority, to develop innovative technologies to help first responders

In January 2019, a gas outage in Newport County, Rhode Island left over 7,100 residents without heat in frigid temperatures. Ruggedized FirstNet devices, WiFi hotspots, and GIS mapping software helped the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and local public safety agencies ensure residents were safe.

After rolling out FirstNet, the Mesa Police Department in Arizona developed new technology, including a mobile app, to enhance response times for law enforcement officers.

Tech to Protect, NIST PSCR’s national innovative challenge, introduces coding contests designed to foster communications technology solutions that will aid emergency responders in serving and protecting communities nationwide. Participants will compete for cash prizes from a pool of $2.2 million. The FirstNet Authority is pleased to have technical subject matter experts from our organization leading three contests.

Technology is revolutionizing how medical professionals work, communicate and care for patients.  Nowhere is that more true than in the emergency medical services (EMS) field. As new technologies enter the marketplace and promise improved patient outcomes and access to care, EMS professionals require a reliable and effective communications network every day and for every emergency. The answer lies in FirstNet.

In the latest episode of the Public Safety First podcast, guest host and First Responder Network Authority, Director of Field Operations (Northcentral Region) Lesia Dickson is joined by officials from Texas City (Tx.) to discuss their “whole of community” approach to emergency communications and the use of FirstNet to enhance school safety efforts. 

San Bernardino County’s Assistant Fire Chief Dan Munsey reflects on emerging technologies, such as drones and wearables, and how they will transform fire service operations in the years to come.

In this episode of Public Safety First, FirstNet’s Senior EMS Advisor Brent Williams chats with Plain Township (OH) Assistant Fire Chief Jack Rupp and Dr. Paul Zeeb, EMS Medical Director for Ohio’s Metropolitan Emergency Consortium Communications (MECC), at the 2018 EMS World Expo. Together, they reflect on how FirstNet will enable emerging technology in the world of EMS.

In the latest episode of Public Safety First, FirstNet Authority’s Senior Law Enforcement Advisor, Harry Markley and the FirstNet Board’s Vice Chair, Hennepin Co. (MN) Sheriff Richard Stanek sit down at the 2018 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition to chat about how FirstNet benefits law enforcement and the evolution of public safety technology.

Assistant Chief Rodney Reed of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office (TX) touches on the County’s experience as an Early Builder, and now as a FirstNet subscriber, as well as Hurricane Harvey response, apps, and Real-Time Data

Paramedic units with the AtlatiCare Regional Medical Center are using a telemedicine application on smartphones running on the FirstNet network. FirstNet provides these EMS teams with a secure connection to send information, ultimately saving time and providing better patient care.

Coders competed in a FirstNet First Responders Hackathon at the Illinois Institute of Technology to develop apps to help first responders carry out their duties more efficiently.

No community is immune to emergencies or disasters. In every state, county, and municipality—across all levels of government and branches of public service—there are dedicated men and women working to prepare for and respond to incidents to keep communities safe and aid in recovery.