The Cameron Peak Fire burned nearly 209,000 acres (326 square miles) in Colorado in late 2020, making it the largest wildfire in state history. As firefighters fought the blaze, FirstNet deployables and devices allowed them to access apps and resources that made their jobs easier and kept them connected to Incident Command and their families back home.  

FirstNet is helping communities respond to COVID-19 by supporting public safety communications across the country. Healthcare workers and first responders are using the FirstNet network to communicate and coordinate operations at COVID-19 testing centers, field hospitals, and incident command posts. The network allows them to maintain reliable communications when and where they need it most – even during surge situations where commercial networks can become congested – and interoperate with other first responders across federal, state, and local agencies.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck our Nation, first responders began to face a new set of challenges that changed operations for many public safety agencies and call centers. The District of Columbia’s emergency communications center, the Office of Unified Communications, quickly made accommodations to support remote call taking to keep call takers safe while continuing to be a one-stop shop for emergency communications in the Nation’s capital.