Interoperability
Jeff Pierce has served for decades as South Dakota’s statewide interoperability coordinator and engineering manager for the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications. On the brink of retirement, Pierce shares his vantage point looking at the past, present, and future of public safety communications. No matter where Pierce looks, he sees interoperability as the key to effective public safety communications.
The Indian Gaming Association is working with FirstNet and the FirstNet Authority to raise awareness of the benefits of public safety’s network to Indian Country. Through this collaboration, FirstNet will support the Indian Gaming Association’s members as they explore the best options for security and emergency response.
How do FirstNet’s Z-Axis and Push-To-Talk work in real-life scenarios? The FirstNet Authority partnered with the Major County Sheriffs of America to conduct a technology trial of these capabilities. By putting the technology into the hands of officers on the job, we can evaluate its real-world usability, discover any adjustments needed, and plan for future upgrades.
Enhancing communications for public safety has been at the heart Captain John Vallarelli’s career. As he rose through the ranks of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department in New York, he oversaw many aspects of the agency’s communications systems, and he was instrumental in supporting interoperability for officers using the regional radio system and FirstNet.
During a joint training exercise and demonstration at Military Ocean terminal Sunny Point in North Carolina, federal and local first responders from across the state experienced how FirstNet can connect agencies during emergencies and everyday operations.
SAFECOM works to improve interoperable communications for emergency response providers across local, regional, tribal, state, territorial, and international borders, as well as with federal government entities. SAFECOM develops good governance practices to help guide state, local, and tribal governance groups on technology implementation, cybersecurity, usage, and broadband coverage needs. As a member of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, SAFCOM provides critical input related to emergency communications planning.
After 30 years as a career and volunteer firefighter, Stephen Wantz understands the importance of clear communications. Now, as an elected official in Carroll County, Maryland, he uses his past experience to advocate for the tools and technology public safety needs to communicate.
For the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, FirstNet is a critical supplement one of the most complex wireless radio systems in New York. FirstNet extends coverage to places in New York that historically lacked portable radio coverage, enhancing the connectivity for officers assigned to the New York City subway system and increasing interoperability with partners throughout the state. 
The New York Power Authority successfully piloted FirstNet to support operations at the Blenheim-Gilboa's Pumped Storage Power project. The network ensures communications are available when public safety needs connectivity most.
Public safety agencies and organizations in thousands of communities across the country are staying connected with FirstNet, Built with AT&T. The public safety community on FirstNet has access to the nation’s largest coverage footprint, reaching more than 2.81 million square miles across the country.
As a part of the COVID-19 response, first responders are turning to FirstNet-enabled devices to make emergency communications efficient and effective during this critical time. From connecting socially distant 9-1-1 call takers to coordinating logistics for distributing personal protective equipment across state lines, FirstNet-enabled devices have played a supporting role in mitigating health risks in communities across the nation. When COVID-19 struck, Texas DPS required immediate and direct communications with local and state agencies to maintain traffic flow, manage state entry points, and monitor crowded areas across the state. Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) used FirstNet-enabled devices to stay connected to partner agencies to prepare for and maintain pandemic-related services throughout the state.
At the beginning of the pandemic, first responders used at least twice as much data as general consumers. Public safety agencies need additional capacity or mobile broadband coverage in specific areas to meet their mission. Thanks to FirstNet, first responders have access to a dedicated fleet of deployable assets designed specifically to provide public safety extra coverage and capacity when and where they need it most.
First responders have worked tirelessly to keep our country safe, and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. FirstNet offers reliable and adaptive mobile broadband solutions to first responders as they continue to be on the frontlines of COVID-19 response. With the pandemic bringing a new set of challenges to delivering public safety services, emergency managers across the country, are turning to FirstNet’s innovative solutions to support the continuity of operations.
Police officers and public works personnel in Burr Ridge, Illinois, are now connected to FirstNet, providing public safety an interoperable platform to communicate with other agencies and jurisdict
Every year, disasters put millions of Americans in danger and cost billions of dollars in property damage. After the threat of harm has passed, FirstNet plays an important role in the recovery phase. While a community is assessing damage, repairing and rebuilding infrastructure, and restoring critical functions, FirstNet keeps responders connected and communicating, speeding up some steps of the recovery process. Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency in Alabama used FirstNet to speed up reporting after disasters.
When Mason County, West Virginia needed broadband for their public safety agencies, they considered many options and ultimately decided to go with FirstNet because of coverage. Now all EMS agencies in this rural county use FirstNet for their communications, making a difference for providers and patients alike, especially when ambulance rides can be 45 minutes to the nearest advanced care hospital.
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.
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.
