Public Safety Broadband

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.

At APCO International’s Annual Conference and Expo, stakeholders from across disciplines come together to discuss topics impacting emergency telecommunications. For the second year, the FirstNet Authority will participate and lead sessions in a FirstNet-specific track, highlighting how the network is supporting emergency communications centers.

Over the last four years, this partnership between the FirstNet Authority and AT&T has brought together the very best in the public and private sectors with a singular focus on supporting public safety’s mission. Together, we are delivering on our commitment to the public safety community: to provide a single nationwide, interoperable network for the millions of police, fire, EMS, and public safety workers across the country. Last year, the FirstNet Authority Board directed our first investments for the network, which included initial upgrades to the FirstNet Core to enable access to 5G services for FirstNet subscribers. Today, we are pleased to join AT&T in announcing this initial investment is becoming a reality. FirstNet subscribers will have access to AT&T’s 5G mmWave spectrum in parts of 38 cities and more than 20 venues across the country beginning this month. 

As broadband becomes more prevalent in public safety communications, the FirstNet Authority offers the After Action Review (AAR) program — a free service available to any FirstNet subscribing agency to capture best practices and lessons learned related to event planning, logistics, operations, and technology use. The AAR program has made a positive impact on communications usage at events such as the New York International Air Show.

The FirstNet Inject Catalog is a comprehensive searchable tool designed to help emergency planners integrate broadband capabilities into discussion-based (tabletop) and operational (functional and full-scale) exercises. Organizers of the 2019 Central State Communications Exercise, held in Quapaw, Oklahoma, used the Inject Catalog to demonstrate how broadband technologies could enhance operational communications throughout the central states’ region.

The FirstNet Authority team offers advance planning and preparation support to FirstNet users. We work closely with public safety agencies to understand the event, identify first responders’ needs and desired capabilities for that day, and work with our network partner, AT&T, to identify what broadband solutions and coverage are needed to successfully support the event. 

FirstNet, now covers more than 2.71 million square miles. Today, more than 15,000 agencies and organizations – accounting for more than 2 million connections nationwide – have subscribed to FirstNet. As FirstNet grows, more public safety agencies are turning to their network. Recent agencies to sign on to FirstNet include Los Angeles Police Department, the third-largest municipal police department in the United States, which is connecting thousands of law enforcement officers and emergency personnel with FirstNet for the priority communications they require; and the City of Cambridge, part of the Boston metropolitan area, will equip its police, fire, EMS and other first responders with FirstNet, giving them the superior coverage for day-to-day response and life-saving missions.

Gainesville Fire Rescue’s Chief Jeffrey Lane has been awarded the prestigious Chief Harlin R. McEwen Public Safety Broadband Communications Award for his outstanding leadership and contributions to advancing broadband communications for public safety personnel across the nation.

A research team from Texas A&M University traveled to Hawaii when the Kilauea volcano erupted in 2018. Using small drones and the FirstNet network, they live-streamed the lava flow to the emergency operations center more than 30 miles away. FirstNet provided the connection and bandwidth needed to share quality footage in real time, enabling first responders to quickly plan and respond to impending dangers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Alexandria Department of Emergency and Customer Communications in Virginia implemented remote call-taking and dispatching to keep telecommunicators safe while still serving their community. Using WiFi hotspots connected to FirstNet, the agency was the first in the nation to enable remote 9-1-1 emergency call-taking.

Emergency operations centers are working hard, facing an above-average Atlantic hurricane season. Public safety officials are turning to technology to monitor storms and communicate. And FirstNet is providing the coverage and capacity first responders need when responding in the aftermath of major storms.

CEO Edward Parkinson reflects on how the First Authority is keeping public safety’s unique communication needs at the forefront of technology as it delivers the only interoperable communications network that public safety asked for and needs for its mission. As public safety’s communications needs advance, the FirstNet Authority will ensure the network continues to grow and evolve in the future.

The FirstNet Authority is taking part in several panel discussions, as well as a virtual booth for the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ 2020 Fire-Rescue International ReIGNITE conference. During the event, attendees can take the opportunity to learn about FirstNet’s innovations for public safety agencies and all of the resources available to them through the network.

After the tragedies of September 11, 2001 highlighted fundamental issues within the nation’s first responder communications systems, the 9/11 Commission recommended creating a single, nationwide broadband network for public safety. The FirstNet Authority was created through the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act to carry out that recommendation. Today, the FirstNet Authority is working to keep public safety connected during every emergency.

Edward Horowitz reflects on his time as Chair of the FirstNet Authority Board and shares how his career and personal experiences led him to serve the nation’s public safety community.

On August 17, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the appointment of Robert Tipton (Tip) Osterthaler to serve as Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) Board. With decades of experience in both the public and private sector, he shares how he will work with public safety and draw on the strengths of FirstNet’s unique public-private partnership to enhance public safety’s network.

The Emergency Communications Center in Alexandria, Virginia, used FirstNet to seamlessly continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With FirstNet, telecommunicators were able to work remotely and stay safe.

The Texas A&M Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center (ITEC) in College Station, Texas plays an important role in developing public safety broadband technologies. Through its annual Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise, ITEC has brought together industry and public safety leaders to test and developing apps and services that benefit first responders.

 

The Emergency Communications Center in Alexandria, Virginia, used FirstNet to seamlessly continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With FirstNet, telecommunicators were able to work remotely and stay safe.

The FirstNet Authority is supporting NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research Division on a new prize challenge that aims to leverage augmented reality solutions and Internet of Things data to help public safety officials respond more effectively and efficiently.