Priority and Preemption
Experts at the Boulder FirstNet Lab in Colorado test functions and features of FirstNet to ensure first responders experience the network as designed and expected. For example, using load test tools, researchers can emulate 6,000 devices and demonstrate how priority and preemption work for first responders.
When hurricanes strike, the main and immediate focus for first responders is rescuing and responding to those in need of aid. Last season, public safety officials relied on FirstNet to sustain and restore emergency communications for many hard-hit communities. FirstNet is critical to our nation’s first responders who battle storms day in and day out – and to those who have placed their confidence into the network’s communications capabilities to keep our communities safe
The Casper Police Department in Wyoming was one of the first agencies to use the FirstNet network in August 2017 when the city’s population was expected to nearly double during a solar eclipse. Four years later, FirstNet is providing Casper police officers with coverage across the city, dedicated applications to enhance operations, and connectivity to other city agencies during everyday incidents and major emergencies.
North Carolina’s first responders are getting a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the new purpose-built FirstNet cell sites launched in Wayne County.
First responders in Tioga County are getting another major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T.
DHR Health’s Level 1 Trauma Center in Texas joined FirstNet as an Extended Primary User. Doctors, nurses, and other DHR Health personnel will have always-on priority on the network, allowing them to communicate during every emergency.
Law enforcement and emergency management agencies in Iowa County, Wisconsin, joined FirstNet, giving responders access to reliable, dedicated connectivity across the rural county.
When the Dallas Police Department in Georgia needed to move from a secondary dispatch to an enhanced 9-1-1 public safety answering point, some solutions presented agency leaders with steep costs for technology and equipment upgrades. FirstNet provided the department with a cost-effective solution for dispatch, as well as additional benefits for officers in the field, allowing the dispatch center to transition in just a few months.
The Grand Rapids Police Department in Michigan is a full-service law enforcement agency serving a largely urban community. Officers with the department began experiencing in-car computers slowing down and losing the ability to access systems and databases due to reduced bandwidth. Since switching to FirstNet, officers can access the software they need throughout the city, giving them greater mobility while providing cost savings to the department.
Sheriff Neil Miller of the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska began implementing mobile data more than 20 years ago, and he continues to bring advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of operations for deputies. With FirstNet being built out throughout the state of Nebraska, deputies and other first responders are able to spend more time in the communities they serve.
The tragedies of 9/11 underscored fundamental problems with communication systems used by our nation’s first responders. In the 20 years since 9/11, technology has changed rapidly. Fortunately, dedicated public safety broadband offered by FirstNet is providing fire departments with powerful new capabilities and modernizing their communications.
Twenty years ago, the 9/11 terrorist attacks forever changed our nation – and set a new course for the way public safety communicates. The FirstNet Authority’s law enforcement expert, Harry Markley, reflects on his experiences on 9/11 and how today public safety communications are different with FirstNet, the nation’s public safety broadband network.
The ability to communicate is critical in an emergency for public safety.
First responders in Allegany County, Maryland, received improved communications with the launch of new FirstNet cell sites.
Burleson County is a small, rural county east of Austin in Texas. The Burleson County Sheriff’s Office serves the county through law enforcement, corrections, and dispatch services. The Sheriff’s Office launched its drone program to enhance situational awareness during emergencies and planned events. As a rural county, connectivity is key, and FirstNet ensures footage from the drones can be streamed back in real time to decision makers on the ground.
Governor Dan McKee, Director Marc Pappas of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), the FirstNet Authority, and AT&T unveiled new FirstNet equipment and technology for Rhode Island first responders. As part of the state’s plan when opting into FirstNet, AT&T has delivered 2 new Compact Rapid Deployables (CRDs) to RIEMA. Rhode Island is the first state in the country to receive CRDs as a part of the state’s decision to advance its public safety broadband communications with FirstNet.
A new FirstNet cell site was turned on in Dorchester County, Maryland, on the property of the Neck District Volunteer Fire Company. The site brings enhanced connectivity and communications to public safety in the region.
Penn State University Police and Public Safety joined FirstNet, connecting department personnel to a reliable, dedicated network. Using phones and tablets, officers can access tools and communicate during everyday incidents, packed football games, and emergency situations.
The Wilmington Police Department in Delaware serves the state’s largest city. Recognizing the need for more efficient and effective aerial video capabilities, the agency invested in unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in 2014. The agency relies on FirstNet to stream video footage from the drones back to the ground in real time, providing responders with critical information to make in-the-moment decisions.