Devices
Thirty-year fire service veteran and board member for the FirstNet Authority Brian Crawford knows firsthand the impact that innovative communications technology has for our nation’s first responders. In this time of national crisis, it is imperative that public safety benefits from interoperability and stable coverage to keep agencies working at their best.
The Office of Unified Communications (OUC) in Washington D.C. is responsible for 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 calls in the nation’s capital, as well as dispatch services and radio communications for D.C. first responders. The OUC handles nearly 3.5 million emergency and non-emergency calls each year. When the pandemic hit, the OUC turned to FirstNet MiFis to support remote telework for 3-1-1 and non-emergency 9-1-1 call takers, keeping staff safe while answering the call for D.C. residents and visitors.
The Saint Louis region is home to 88 municipalities across 523 square miles. For public safety officials in this area of Missouri, interoperability is key. To meet this need, the Clayton Fire Department is using FirstNet to connect to other first responders, access data on the scene of incidents, and enhance situational awareness and patient care.
The Texas A&M Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center (ITEC) in College Station, Texas plays an important role in developing public safety broadband technologies. Through its annual Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise, ITEC has brought together industry and public safety leaders to test and developing apps and services that benefit first responders.
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) provides resources and advocacy for volunteer firefighters, EMS, and rescue personnel across the nation. As a member of the FirstNet Authority’s Public Safety Advisory Committee, the NVFC brings the voice of volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services to the deployment and operation of the FirstNet network.
In March 2020, several tornadoes tore across middle Tennessee. In Putnam County, 80 miles outside of Nashville, an EF-4 tornado caused major damage to structures and a public safety radio tower. With communications severely limited, state and local first responders turned to FirstNet for coverage from deployables and push-to-talk on smartphones.
As EMS providers expand their use of technology, FirstNet gives them a wireless broadband platform to connect in the field. FirstNet Authority Senior EMS Advisor Brent Williams highlights three EMS agencies using FirstNet to communicate in rural areas, send vital patient information to hospitals, and access the resources to enhance patient care.
Voice communications are the fundamental form of public safety communications. At the heart of the FirstNet effort is the need for a reliable communications platform that will provide voice, data, and video services for public safety’s lifesaving mission. With the launch of FirstNet, countless first responders gained access to the most advanced broadband emergency communications solution available today, and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) strives to learn from public safety where the network needs to go next.
Connecting to tools and resources is vital for law enforcement agencies. With FirstNet, officers and deputies in rural and remote areas have increased access to the databases and systems they need. Harry Markley, FirstNet Authority Senior Law Enforcement Advisor, highlights how three agencies are using FirstNet to maximize operations and improve incident outcomes.
Situational awareness for first responders can come from cameras, sensors, wearables, or countless other pieces of technology. In this blog, FirstNet Authority Senior Public Safety Products Advisor Randy Kerr and FirstNet Authority Senior Director of Product Technology and Architecture Carlos L’Abbate discuss public safety’s situational awareness needs and how the FirstNet Authority is ensuring those needs are met.
Every year, the FirstNet Authority provides a report to Congress, outlining the activities, operations, financial condition, and accomplishments from the previous fiscal year. Tom Shull, FirstNet Authority Director of Government Affairs, provides an overview of the FirstNet Authority’s Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2019.
Home to mountain ranges and forested areas, Washington County, Oregon presents communications challenges for local public safety. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office relies on FirstNet to stay connected with deputies, citizens, and dispatch centers.
Emergency communications professionals across the country utilize FirstNet to support innovative approaches to 9-1-1 and dispatch. FirstNet’s secure, reliable broadband connection helps telecommunicators deliver accurate, robust information to on the scene responders. FirstNet, and the technology ecosystem that has built up around it, is especially helpful for dispatchers placed in uncommon situations.
The Cranford Police Department in New Jersey trialed FirstNet Push-to-Talk, a service built on 3GPP mission critical push-to-talk standards. This service provided officers with an easy-to-use system with clearer voice quality and wider coverage area than traditional land mobile radios.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon uses FirstNet on cell phones and mobile data computers to better protect a community of 600,000 people spread out in mostly rural areas.
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.
The Canton Fire Department transitioned to FirstNet to augment radio communications, enhance planning and response with new data capabilities, and address coverage gaps in their small town, 15 miles south of Boston.
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.