Emergency Management

In Hamilton County, Ohio, FirstNet’s robust and reliable platform is making it possible for technical dispatch teams responding to high-profile, large scale events to remain as fully functional as if they were operating within the four-walls of their Emergency Communications Center.

During an emergency management exercise of an aircraft accident, emergency management personnel at the TF Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island participated in a FirstNet demonstration to test the network’s capabilities. Throughout the exercise, the FirstNet devices were used to help manage communications between care teams and the emergency communications center.

First responders tested the FirstNet network during a routine emergency management exercise at TF Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Despite being a significant distance apart, first responders stayed connected and were able to exchange information in real-time, making sure crash victims were tended to swiftly and properly.

At the 2019 FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival in Shawnee, Oklahoma, public safety officials from the Citizen Potawatomi Tribe relied on FirstNet-enabled devices for seamless interoperability among the many agencies supporting the festival.

When disaster strikes or large crowds gather, public safety officials need a broadband network they can rely on to remain connected. FirstNet’s fleet of deployables is an important resource for emergency managers for planned and unplanned events to ensure that connection is available. First Responder Network Authority Senior Public Safety Advisor Timothy Pierce describes the deployables that are available to FirstNet subscribers and how those resources can make a difference for first responders.

Historic Annapolis, Maryland, hosts nearly two million tourists annually, and public safety officials are responsible for protecting these visitors and local residents throughout the town and in the surrounding Chesapeake Bay. Recognizing the need for reliable communications for first responders, local law enforcement, emergency management, and city services are rolling out FirstNet.

The FirstNet Authority attended the 2019 International Association of Emergency Managers 67th Annual Conference, meeting with emergency managers from across the nation and gathering their feedback on their critical communications needs.

FirstNet Authority Senior Public Safety Advisor Lori Stone sits down with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Statewide Interoperability Coordinator Tom Crabbs to discuss FirstNet, how first responders are exploring and adapting cutting-edge technologies, and how the FirstNet Authority is helping public safety agencies nationwide advance operations.   

In January 2019, a gas outage in Newport County, Rhode Island left over 7,100 residents without heat in frigid temperatures. Ruggedized FirstNet devices, WiFi hotspots, and GIS mapping software helped the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and local public safety agencies ensure residents were safe.

This blog is a repost from Homeland Preparedness News, originally published on September 17, 2019. The original article can be accessed here.

Throughout the month of September, we recognize FEMA’s annual preparedness campaign to promote readiness in the wake of a disaster. FirstNet Authority’s Director of Field Operations for FirstNet North-Central Region, Lesia Dickson outlines how FirstNet is a vital tool that public safety can rely on when planning for emergencies.

The New Hampshire Department of Public Safety’s Office of Interoperability hosted the FirstNet Authority for two User Forums – for New Hampshire and for Region I states. Public safety officials from across the region gathered to learn more about the FirstNet Authority Roadmap and had the opportunity to explore some FirstNet dedicated assets for first responders.

Tech to Protect, NIST PSCR’s national innovative challenge, introduces coding contests designed to foster communications technology solutions that will aid emergency responders in serving and protecting communities nationwide. Participants will compete for cash prizes from a pool of $2.2 million. The FirstNet Authority is pleased to have technical subject matter experts from our organization leading three contests.

When severe rains caused rivers to flood in the Midwest, the Illinois Incident Management Team requested a FirstNet SatCOLT (satellite cell on light truck). The SatCOLT provided first responders with a secure and reliable connection, allowing them to communicate as they worked in the aftermath of the storms.

After testing the FirstNet network in and around the county, local officials in Montour County, Pennsylvania, decided to subscribe to FirstNet. Now, first responders and county employees supporting public safety operations use the network to stay connected during daily incidents, emergencies, and natural disasters.

The FirstNet Authority joined the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System Board for a Region VII User Forum in Altoona, Iowa. Public safety agencies from the region gathered to learn more about the latest FirstNet developments and key initiatives underway across Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri.