Fire Service
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security has relied on FirstNet for a variety of incidents and emergencies, from Hurricane Michael to a lost hiker to the 2019 Super Bowl. With priority and preemption on the FirstNet network and access to deployable assets such as SatCOLTs (satellite cells on light trucks) and COWs (cells on wheels), first responders have reliable connection when and where they need it.
FirstNet Authority Board Member and Fire Chief for the Southern Platte Fire Protection District (MO) Richard Carrizzo shares his thoughts on FirstNet, the nation's only broadband network dedicated
San Bernardino County’s Assistant Fire Chief Dan Munsey reflects on emerging technologies, such as drones and wearables, and how they will transform fire service operations in the years to come.
In this episode of Public Safety First, FirstNet’s Senior EMS Advisor Brent Williams chats with Plain Township (OH) Assistant Fire Chief Jack Rupp and Dr. Paul Zeeb, EMS Medical Director for Ohio’s Metropolitan Emergency Consortium Communications (MECC), at the 2018 EMS World Expo. Together, they reflect on how FirstNet will enable emerging technology in the world of EMS.
In our latest episode of Public Safety First, host Dave Buchanan sits down with representatives of the FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) Executive Committee (EC) to discuss how FirstNet is providing technological advancements, helping first responders look to improving the future of responding to incidents in Utah, Texas, Michigan, and Oregon.
Assistant Chief Rodney Reed of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office (TX) touches on the County’s experience as an Early Builder, and now as a FirstNet subscriber, as well as Hurricane Harvey response, apps, and Real-Time Data
Deputy Chief Travis Hollis of the Rogers Fire Department (AR) speaks with guest host Michael Varney about why a city in “Tornado Alley” decided to transition to FirstNet and what first responders have experienced since adopting FirstNet. He also shares thoughts on the future of public safety communications and advanced technologies like the Internet of Life-Saving Things (IoLST).
Every summer, thousands of people travel to western Indiana for the Terre Haute airshow—a two-day event that features the Navy’s famous Blue Angels and other aircraft.
Edward Parkinson describes how he joined the Western Fire Chiefs Association and public safety officials for a site visit to the burn area of the Camp Fire in northern California. This trip was an opportunity for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to learn about the public safety response to the fires that devastated Paradise, California—a town of 27,000 residents in the foothills East of Chico—directly from those fire chiefs and other first responders who were on the ground during the wildfire.
As a member of the fire service, you know having the right tools improves response. Increasingly, your department relies on mobile applications to provide computer-aided dispatching, mapping tools, patient care reporting, and hazardous materials information. Unfortunately, you also know that during emergencies or large events, congestion on commercial networks can make your vital data sources unreachable or unreliable. FirstNet provides a secure, reliable broadband connection so communications stay intact during your most critical moments.
Download a factsheet about FirstNet and the Fire Service.
In 2018, the Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival attracted 180,000 visitors from around the globe to an 18-block radius in Las Vegas, Nevada. To assist, 30 FirstNet Ready™ mobile devices were distributed to the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue team, including firefighters, EMS, and bomb squad personnel.
The FirstNet network is enabling more resilient communities nationwide. With more than 5,250 public safety agencies using 425,000+ connections on FirstNet today, the network is helping first responders and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District (BMFPD) is a volunteer fire department that serves an area in the mountainous Front Range area just west of Boulder, Colorado. Recently, a team of four BMFPD firefighters brought an attack engine to the FirstNet Authority offices in Boulder.
For Craig Cooper, Special Operations Chief for the City of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, the chance to participate in a FirstNet demonstration to bolster emergency communication for area first responders was too good to pass up. When the Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival debuted in 2013, the home grown music festival catered mostly to residents in local and surrounding areas. Since that inaugural event six years ago, the three-day festival in September 2018 attracted 180,000 visitors from all 50 states and 24 countries to the roughly 18-block radius.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators line the streets of Boston to witness the Boston Marathon. In 2018, 80 ruggedized FirstNet devices with push-to-talk and location-tracking applications helped Boston and Brookline police, fire, and incident response teams protect the community.
More than 2,500 public safety agencies across the country have joined FirstNet. This is nearly double the number of agencies since the last update in July.
When Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina in September 2018, FirstNet provided reliable coverage and connection to public safety agencies in Whiteville. A FirstNet SatCOLT (satellite cell on light truck) was deployed to the area, and first responders used enhanced push-to-talk and to communicate in the aftermath of the storm.