For nearly three decades, Lieutenant Gregory S. Kunselman of the Pennsylvania State Police has been an integral part of public safety’s role at Punxsutawney’s famous Groundhog Day, an annual ceremony where the most famous Groundhog in the world “predicts” the length of winter’s end.
Growing crowds, growing public safety demands
Since Lieutenant Kunselman’s first Groundhog Day in 1996, the celebration has expanded dramatically. What once drew modest local crowds now attracts more than 50,000 visitors in peak years, briefly swelling the town of Punxsutawney’s normal population of less than 6,000.
The 2025 celebration promised to be the largest yet with tourists, media, and elected officials all attending to witness Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-forecasting groundhog. Supporting agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police, Punxsutawney Fire Department, Jefferson County Emergency Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Groundhog Club — the governing organization of the annual festivities — worked in advance to plan and coordinate operations.
Recognizing the scale of the event and knowing that most of the agencies involved had experience using FirstNet, the nationwide broadband network for first responders, Lieutenant Kunselman requested assistance from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to evaluate network coverage and ensure reliable communication for the big day.
Strategic support from the FirstNet Authority
The Pennsylvania State Police, in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies, tapped into the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program (NEEP) to ensure seamless communication and operational support for one of the state’s most high-profile events: Groundhog Day.
The FirstNet Authority’s NEEP helps agencies operationalize FirstNet, the dedicated public safety broadband network built in partnership with AT&T. Through pre-planning engagements, the FirstNet Authority supports public safety officials by mapping out where responders will be located, what technologies they'll rely on, and what kind of coverage and capacity is required.
In December 2024, the FirstNet Authority met with Groundhog Day public safety partners to evaluate past communications strategies and assess ways to improve.
Multiple key sites required reliable coverage, including a temporary Pennsylvania State Police command post, a Jefferson County mini Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a unified command post at the Groundhog Day Museum, multiple bus pick-up locations, and Gobbler’s Knob itself — the epicenter of the event.
To meet these needs, the FirstNet Authority recommended that the agencies request a deployable Cell on Wheels (COW) for extended coverage. Additionally, it was determined that FirstNet-enabled devices should be used, including cell phones for individual responders. This way, public safety would guarantee a resilient communications backbone across all operational areas of the event.
Reliable connection on a record-breaking day
By 7 a.m. on February 2, 2025, the Groundhog Day event was in full swing. More than 120 law enforcement officers were stationed across Punxsutawney. Sixteen ambulances and one helicopter waited on standby. Forty buses transported visitors to Gobbler’s Knob, and a record-breaking 52,000 people gathered for Punxsutawney Phil's famous prediction.
Throughout the day, FirstNet provided high-speed coverage that allowed the multiple agencies to coordinate seamlessly and respond swiftly to emerging needs. When parking at Gobbler’s Knob became full, Kunselman used his FirstNet-enabled phone to solve the issue with the Groundhog Club in real time. “With FirstNet, we had the capabilities we needed to be able to talk to one another immediately,” he said.
Keeping responders connected from anywhere
Chris Clark, Deputy Director of Emergency Services and 9-1-1 Coordinator at the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Services, has supported Groundhog Day operations since 2005. On the day of the event, his team runs a small EOC near Gobbler’s Knob and typically uses radio as their primary communication tool.
But with the Pennsylvania Governor in attendance this year and the record-breaking crowd, FirstNet phones proved invaluable for communicating sensitive information from the EOC to key personnel. That way, need-to-know information was not broadcast on the radio where attendees could potentially hear.
“I was able to communicate with them just fine,” Clark said. “It was the easiest method to get through to everybody that was down there at the command post. That way, we didn’t have to tie the radio up with person-to-person information.”
Coverage from the FirstNet deployable asset also ensured uninterrupted service in all crucial locations. Clark said, “I never lost any service, and my colleagues at the Pennsylvania State Police command trailer never did either. That [FirstNet] was our primary route of communication.”
Getting the most out of FirstNet technology
Even though Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow on Groundhog Day, there were no dark spots in public safety’s coverage. From interoperability to uninterrupted service, the success in Punxsutawney has already inspired planning efforts for 2026 — 30 years after Lieutenant Kunselman first started supporting the event.
“Back in 1996, there was no technology like that. Cell phone coverage didn’t exist. Interoperability between different organizations really didn’t happen,” said Kunselman. “Today, we do have abilities.”
By working closely with state, local, and federal partners, the FirstNet Authority is helping public safety evolve their response capabilities with emerging broadband technology. That’s the power of preparation — and the promise of a network built for first responders.
