Location-based services

EMS personnel must be able to rely on their communications — especially during worst-case scenarios. Assistant Chief Troy Harmison of Bondurant Emergency Services in Iowa shared how a communications failure at a critical moment changed how his agency managed communications.

Biometrics and wearables are ushering in a new wave of public safety technologies. These innovations have the potential to greatly improve the health and safety of firefighters — and get us closer to the goal of zero deaths or injuries.

Successful response to a suspicious package incident relies on good communications. Technology can make a difference in ensuring response teams have the most up-to-date information. FirstNet technologies can help with a coordinated, connected, and safe response.

Maine is undertaking a statewide project to install FirstNet in all its ambulances — to keep them connected and communicating wherever the call takes them. Integrating FirstNet into ambulances improves pre-hospital care and safety for patients, responders, vehicles, and roads.

Steve Devine, APCO Chief Technology Officer, talks about the biggest trends in 9-1-1 technology, including the transition from analog to digital systems with Next Generation 9-1-1. Steve also discussed the role of public safety broadband in the emergency communications center and the issues APCO is prioritizing to support telecommunicators.

The FirstNet Authority Emergency Management Guide was developed by experts in FirstNet solutions and emergency management operations to help public safety plan for events or incidents. The guide is a comprehensive outlook for incorporating broadband into your communication plans and emergency management efforts. The September 2023 version of the guide features new sections highlighting FirstNet features important to public safety.

Renee Gordon, FirstNet Authority Board Vice Chair, has dedicated her career to public safety. In her roles as a 9-1-1 leader and police officer, she has seen first responders put to the test when faced with life-or-death decisions. In honor of National First Responders Day, she shares her perspectives as a first responder and how a responder’s risk calculus improves with FirstNet.

Body cameras make the job of law enforcement easier and more efficient. They can improve situational awareness, provide details for reports, and help protect officers on scene. Officer Monica Lee of the Daytona Beach Police Department in Florida shared why her agency uses livestreaming body cameras for officer safety and tactical advantage.

Citywide deployments of FirstNet make operations more efficient by creating seamless communication and data transfer among all response partners. Three law enforcement officials shared how their citywide FirstNet deployment has been critical to ensuring everyone is informed and working together on a coordinated response.

When an eight-year-old boy went missing in Michigan's sprawling Porcupine Mountains, an extensive search and rescue operation was initiated. Darian Reed, President of Superior Search and Rescue, shared that broadband and data service support from FirstNet was pivotal in successfully and safely recovering the child.

The CommanDING Tech prize challenge explored ways to improve the quality of incident command dashboards. Participants worked to create a solution that would help commanding officers visualize actionable information, without overloading them with unnecessary data. The challenge—hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Public Safety Communications Research Division and judged by FirstNet Authority staff—produced four winning solutions.

The FirstNet Authority’s new Public Safety Immersive Test Center is designed to explore future tech for public safety training and operations.

The Los Angeles Police Department, one of the biggest police departments in the country, is modernizing its communications and issuing FirstNet devices to all of its almost 10,000 officers.

First responders are using FirstNet Authority’s virtual reality test center to set-up and engage in immersive emergency response training.

The FirstNet Authority’s Public Safety Immersive Test Center uses augmented and virtual reality to test equipment in simulated experiences and to develop methodologies for real world emergencies.

AT&T, in collaboration with Intrado, introduced a location-based routing feature in New Mexico that enables 911 dispatch centers to pinpoint the exact location where a 911 emergency call was pl

The only nationwide public safety broadband network, FirstNet, which was created in 2012 is celebrating a decade of public safety accomplishments.

The Public Safety Immersive Test Center in Boulder, Colorado, is an innovative test facility, created in partnership between the FirstNet Authority and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Public Safety Communications Research Division. Virtual and alternate reality technologies will help first responders train, and tracking systems will provide ground truth for location-based services.

The “Monster Mile” at Dover Motor Speedway can be as tough on communications as it is on drivers. With more than a dozen public safety partners supporting races and the Firefly Music Festival, reliable connectivity is critical. FirstNet is ensuring responders can communicate and share information to keep visitors safe.

FirstNet is an important tool for firefighters as they battle a fire. Outside the blazes, the network can also enhance the fire service’s community risk reduction efforts. The FirstNet Authority engages with the fire community on how FirstNet can support the “five E’s” of risk reduction: enforcement, engineering, education, emergency response, and economic incentives.