Emergency Management
Members of the Mason County Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) in West Virginia often find themselves working in more remote parts of the county. Understanding the importance of remaining connected, DHSEM and other county agencies switched to FirstNet after extensive testing. The county’s public safety agencies are now using the network to improve patient care during longer hospital transports and to enhance communications at COVID-19 testing sites.
The FirstNet Authority provides three types of support to help public safety agencies as they prepare for all hazards: pre-planning support, an exercise inject catalog, and post-incident reviews. These three types of support help agencies understand how to best use FirstNet during disasters or large events, leading to more timely and efficient decision-making, better coordinated response, and well-managed resources and logistics.
Download the Emergency Management Resource Guide and learn more about FirstNet capabilities and resources available for emergency responders. Last updated: September 2024.
The FirstNet Authority’s Emergency Management Community of Practice has developed a resource guide for emergency managers. The guide includes an overview of features and functions that may be used in their daily and emergency response roles. Many of the topics covered in the guide are applicable for coordinating response in the field or when an Emergency Operations Center has been activated.
When sudden, intense rainfall caused flash flooding and washed out roads in Washington County, Maine, the county’s emergency management director was stranded in town and unable to physically reach the emergency operations center. FirstNet enabled her to remain connected to her staff and other officials to coordinate their response remotely.
The ability to communicate is critical in an emergency for public safety.
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.
Teton County is a rural county in northwest Wyoming. Situated in the Teton Range, the county experiences weather hazards including fires, floods, and wintery conditions, as well as earthquakes, landslides, and avalanches. Teton County first responders rely on FirstNet’s hardened network to stay connected in the most remote parts of the county and during tourist season when cell networks grow congested.
First responders rely on an extended community of support entities during major incidents, events, and disasters for clean-up, transportation, and other services. These entities are eligible to join FirstNet as Extended Primary users. During times of extreme network congestion, the FirstNet Uplift Request Tool can be used to provide temporary elevation for Extended Primary users to the same priority level as Primary users, ensuring they remain connected and able to communicate and coordinate response.
FirstNet Authority Senior Emergency Management Advisor Bruce Fitzgerald spent more than 15 years in public safety and crisis management, responding to major disasters and assisting with recovery and mitigation. At the FirstNet Authority, he works with emergency managers to understand their needs and demonstrate how mobile broadband can support all phases of emergency management.
FirstNet Authority Emergency Management Subject Matter Expert Bruce Fitzgerald talks about his 15 years in public safety and crisis management, valuable FirstNet tools for emergency managers, and the importance of communications during disaster response.
Public safety K9s can be trained for a wide range of services, from search and rescue to bomb and drug detection. These dogs work across urban, rural, wilderness, and disaster settings, and can sometimes end up a mile away from their handler. As technology advances, handlers are exploring ways technology – such as trackers and live-streaming cameras – can enhance K9 operations, keep dogs and handlers safe, and improve situational awareness and mission success.
The Central Virginia Healthcare Coalition (CVHC) is one of six coalitions in the Commonwealth of Virginia and helps its membership plan, train, and respond to incidents and events in the region. FirstNet is supporting communications for CVHC during emergencies, in its response to COVID-19, and in preparation for large events and protests.