FirstNet Authority Support

Public Affairs Specialist Molly Hahn joins FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisor Doug Harder to delve into the Network Experience Engagement Program (NEEP). Explore how the FirstNet Authority’s NEEP helps agencies operationalize FirstNet with pre-incident and event planning, post-incident and event reviews, and exercise planning.

During the St. Thomas Carnival, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ public safety community enlisted support from the First Responder Network Authority’s Network Engagement Experience Program to prepare for the annual event. This pre-event guidance helped address communication and coordination challenges during the large-scale event and laid the groundwork for future emergency preparedness in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

When the Groundhog Day annual ceremony attracted more than 50,000 visitors to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Police alongside local, state, and federal agencies, tapped into operational assistance from the FirstNet Authority. The FirstNet Authority worked closely with public safety officials to evaluate network coverage and ensure reliable communication for the event. Throughout the day, FirstNet provided high-speed coverage that allowed the multiple agencies to coordinate seamlessly and respond swiftly to emerging needs.

For public safety agencies that rely on FirstNet, the FirstNet Authority offers critical support through planning support, post-event reviews, and workshops that help agencies assess their current communications capabilities, identify coverage gaps, and implement strategies for improvement. Whether preparing for an event or evaluating response after an incident, FirstNet Authority operational assistance can help public safety agencies enhance their FirstNet experience and improve overall readiness to better support their communities.

The FirstNet Authority holds coverage enhancement workshops across the country for public safety agencies to identify potential areas for network coverage. New Hampshire became the first state to host a coverage enhancement workshop and identified areas in the state that need coverage improvements.

From natural disasters to mass casualty incidents — and even acts of terrorism — America was struck by tragedy early in 2025. These events tested the resolve of our country and put pressure on the nation’s emergency response systems. First responders once again rose to meet these challenges head on, and the FirstNet Authority is proud to support them.

In 2024, the FirstNet Authority took bold and decisive actions to evolve FirstNet and make FirstNet the best possible network for first responders. In 2025, the FirstNet Authority will continue to advance strategic investments, expand coverage across the nation, and build relationships with public safety leaders.

At the Electric Daisy Carnival music festival near Las Vegas, a combination of FirstNet, innovative technologies, and comprehensive planning kept EMS operational in a challenging environment. Cody Snow, president of Prevent Medical Solutions, a mobile medical system that specializes in event staffing, talked about solutions they use to support communications during these events.

The 2024 conventions from both U.S. political parties were supported by the FirstNet Authority’s pre-planning efforts. Party conventions are major national events, yet the same planning framework applies to smaller local events. The Network Experience Engagement Program is designed to meet the needs of public safety, whether planning for a major party convention, a pumpkin festival, or the homecoming parade.

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

Pre-incident and event planning is one of the FirstNet Authority’s most popular and successful services in the Network Experience Engagement Program. The program is offered at no cost to help public safety agencies with pre-incident and event planning, post-incident and event reviews, and exercise planning. It is highly successful in supporting events, including the Super Bowl, collegiate basketball’s Final Four, and the Kentucky Derby.

FirstNet provides first responders with priority wireless broadband service across all U.S. states and territories – but that’s not all. The network also offers subscribers dedicated technology, pre-event planning support, resource guides, public safety advisors on-call, and much more. Here’s your guide to getting the most out of FirstNet.

As a federal agency serving the public safety community, the FirstNet Authority works with public safety agencies to evaluate their communications capabilities. We offer an Operational Capabilities Workshop to help determine what technologies they have and identify any gaps in incident response. The workshops also help develop preparedness plans that leverage all technology options available to an agency.

Las Vegas public safety agencies spent months planning for the first-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix race and hosting football’s biggest game of the year. As part of their preparations, the Clark County Fire Department and other Las Vegas public safety agencies worked with the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program. Through a collaborative planning process, FirstNet ensured first responders were prepared for these major planned events, as well as an unexpected avalanche just north of the city.

The U.S. Pacific territories — American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam — are home to a quarter million Americans. Located thousands of miles from the mainland, these territories are among the most remote regions in the nation. The FirstNet Authority sent a delegation to all three island territories to discuss the current status of FirstNet in the territories and to further understand their public safety operations and emergency communications needs.

The FirstNet Authority team joined staff from AT&T to spend a January afternoon confirming that Allegiant Stadium in Nevada had broadband connectivity from top to bottom for the Big Game. Events like this are major tests for FirstNet, and the FirstNet Authority team has put in long hours to ensure that FirstNet passes with flying colors.

The FirstNet Authority convened a cohort of emergency management professionals from across the country to tell us about how FirstNet works in the real world. This group provided valuable feedback about how they currently use FirstNet for emergency management, the challenges they’ve faced, and what they’d like to see in the future.

The Super Bowl — America’s largest sporting event — requires significant pre-planning to ensure the safety of players, staff, and spectators. Coordinating public safety communications for Super Bowl LVII involved more than a dozen different cities and jurisdictions and posed unique challenges, including overlap with another major sporting event the same week. Through the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program, public safety officials in Arizona received pre-planning assistance for the Super Bowl, helping responders be ready on game day.

The Super Bowl — America’s largest sporting event — requires significant pre-planning to ensure the safety of players, staff, and spectators. Coordinating public safety communications for Super Bowl LVII involved more than a dozen different cities and jurisdictions and posed unique challenges, including overlap with another major sporting event the same week. Through the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program, public safety officials in Arizona received pre-planning assistance for the Super Bowl, helping responders be ready on game day.

Thunderbird and Whale was the first-ever national-level exercise fully planned and executed by tribal nations. Lynda Zambrano, Executive Director of the National Tribal Emergency Management Council, recounts her team’s approach to the exercise and how they maximized resources to benefit tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest.