We have spent so many years talking about what seemed to be the elusive nationwide public safety broadband network. It is thrilling this year that FirstNet is finally here and first responders are using its capability with great satisfaction.

When Brent Williams, Senior Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisor for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) enrolled in an emergency medical technician (EMT) class in the late 1970s, advances in EMS were taking off.  He pursued his growing interest in the field and signed-up for a first-of-its-kind paramedic class offered in Saginaw, MI.

Those who are employed in law enforcement know there is no amount of training or tool that can remove all risk from police work. Nonetheless, the deployment of FirstNet provides U.S. law enforcement agencies with another tool in their officer safety toolbox—a powerful communications network that improves first responder safety and offers more ways to track and monitor officer health and well-being.

Harry Markley joined the First Responder Network Authority as law enforcement senior advisor after more than 30 years with the Phoenix Police Department. Markley started his career as patrol officer and was promoted through the ranks to assistant chief of police. In his three decades of service, he touched nearly every part of the department, serving as a narcotics detective, training officer, SWAT team commander, crime lab administrator, precinct commander, and director of the State Police Academy.

The First Responder Network Authority has again received an unmodified audit opinion on its financial statements for Fiscal Year 2017. This marks the fifth consecutive year FirstNet has achieved a clean audit opinion for its financial statements.