Territory

During the St. Thomas Carnival, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ public safety community enlisted support from the First Responder Network Authority’s Network Engagement Experience Program to prepare for the annual event. This pre-event guidance helped address communication and coordination challenges during the large-scale event and laid the groundwork for future emergency preparedness in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The First Responder Network Authority is moving forward on its plans to expand FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network, and enhance coverage where first responders need it, including in tribal, territorial, and rural areas. The FirstNet Authority Board approved plans to advance a ten-year initiative in which the FirstNet Authority will make ongoing investments of approximately $2 billion to expand FirstNet and improve coverage for public safety users.

The U.S. Pacific territories — American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam — are home to a quarter million Americans. Located thousands of miles from the mainland, these territories are among the most remote regions in the nation. The FirstNet Authority sent a delegation to all three island territories to discuss the current status of FirstNet in the territories and to further understand their public safety operations and emergency communications needs.

In this video, FirstNet Authority Board Member Alexandra Fernandez Navarro explains the unique challenges of disaster response on island territories. When emergencies occur, these territories are often cut off by air and sea, which makes pre-planned emergency management crucial. Fernandez Navarro provides information about FirstNet's deployable resources, which can be pre-positioned to serve hard-to-reach areas. Learn more about the deployable program at FirstNet.gov/deployables.

FirstNet Authority Board Member Alexandra Fernández Navarro’s extensive career in public service and telecommunications gives her a unique understanding of the interaction between utilities and telecommunication organizations during emergency response and recovery. We sat down with Ms. Fernández Navarro to discuss the unique communications challenges U.S. territories face, how FirstNet supports territories, and her career in public service.

The FirstNet Authority participated in PSCR 2019 to engage with stakeholders and learned about what’s next for public safety communications. PSCR’s annual meeting includes talks or demos on standards, deployables, data sharing, security, the Internet of Things, and more.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is modernizing communications technology for its first responders. Today, Governor Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres accepted the First Responder Network Authority and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community. FirstNet will bring advanced tools that will help the Northern Mariana Islands’ first responders save lives and protect communities.

RESTON, Va., Jan. 10, 2018 – American Samoa is modernizing communications technology for its first responders. Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga accepted the First Responder Network Authority* and AT&T** plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community. FirstNet will bring advanced tools that will help American Samoa’s first responders save lives and protect communities.

RESTON, Va., Jan. 5, 2018 – Guam is modernizing communications technology for its first responders. Governor Eddie Calvo announced his decision to accept the First Responder Network Authority* and AT&T** plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community. FirstNet will bring advanced tools that will help Guam’s first responders save lives and protect communities.

RESTON, Va., Sep. 1, 2017 – More than a third of the country has moved to modernize communications for the fire, police, emergency medical services (EMS) and other public safety personnel who bravely protect and serve their communities.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 31, 2017 – Puerto Rico is transforming communications for first responders across the islands. Today, Governor Ricardo Rosselló announced his decision to accept the FirstNet and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community and, with it, enhancements to help Puerto Rico’s first responders save lives and protect communities.

RESTON, Va., Aug. 1, 2017 – The U.S. Virgin Islands is leading the way to modernize communications for its public safety community. Today, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced his decision to accept the FirstNet and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community helping first responders save lives and protect communities. This makes the U.S. Virgin Islands the first U.S. territory to “opt-in” to the FirstNet network.