Tribal Nations

The Indian Gaming Association is working with FirstNet and the FirstNet Authority to raise awareness of the benefits of public safety’s network to Indian Country. Through this collaboration, FirstNet will support the Indian Gaming Association’s members as they explore the best options for security and emergency response.

Public safety agencies and organizations in thousands of communities across the country are staying connected with FirstNet, Built with AT&T. The public safety community on FirstNet has access to the nation’s largest coverage footprint, reaching more than 2.81 million square miles across the country.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) represents American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal governments and promotes the broad interests of Tribes and their citizens. NCAI has been an important member of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, providing input on the unique communications challenges Tribal first responders face.

FirstNet has supported New Mexico first responders through many events. From connecting public safety at the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival to covering tribal nations during the pandemic, agencies are experiencing the benefits of their network.

First responders’ inability to communicate after the 9/11 attacks underscored significant public safety communication shortfalls nationwide – including on tribal lands. The FirstNet Authority is working to bring FirstNet’s unique capabilities to tribal communities that are historically prone to communication challenges.

First responders serving the Yankton Sioux Tribal communities got a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T.

First responders serving the Spirit Lake Tribal communities as well as Benson and Ramsey Counties got a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T.

Broadband infrastructure can be sparse and inconsistent across many parts of Indian Country. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, this lack of infrastructure complicated efforts to provide tribes with critical food supplies and personal protective equipment. FirstNet deployable assets enabled the National Tribal Emergency Management Council to coordinate logistics and deliver millions of pounds of food and resources to tribes across the nation.

The National Tribal Emergency Management Council (NTEMC) works to help tribes across the country build sustainable emergency management programs. When the pandemic hit, NTEMC began supporting Indian Country by leading logistics to distribute food and personal protective equipment. NTEMC requested FirstNet deployables to support communications in rural areas, allowing the non-profit to carry out operations.

First responders in Waubay and the surrounding area got a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T. 

FirstNet, now covers more than 2.71 million square miles. Today, more than 15,000 agencies and organizations – accounting for more than 2 million connections nationwide – have subscribed to FirstNet. As FirstNet grows, more public safety agencies are turning to their network. Recent agencies to sign on to FirstNet include Los Angeles Police Department, the third-largest municipal police department in the United States, which is connecting thousands of law enforcement officers and emergency personnel with FirstNet for the priority communications they require; and the City of Cambridge, part of the Boston metropolitan area, will equip its police, fire, EMS and other first responders with FirstNet, giving them the superior coverage for day-to-day response and life-saving missions.

First responders in tribal nations are tackling the COVID-19 health crisis with dedication and innovation, and many are turning to technology solutions to enhance their operations. Tribal nations like the Colville Tribes in Washington have gotten a boost in coverage from FirstNet at testing sites and emergency operation centers.  

The Makah Tribe has called the Pacific Northwest home for thousands of years. With over 1,100 square miles of land and sea to patrol and the looming threat of tsunamis, reliable communications are crucial for the tribe’s first responders. Like many tribes across Indian Country, the Makah Tribe is looking to FirstNet to help solve their communication challenges.

FirstNet Authority National Tribal Government Liaison Adam Geisler sits down with Crystal Hottowe of the Makah Tribe in northwest Washington to talk about what it means to respond to emergencies in a marine environment, the looming threat of tsunamis, and broadband on tribal lands.

A cell tower on the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation brings connectivity to a rural area of Wisconsin, protecting locals and the many tourists who visit the area. 

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.

First responders in northwestern Minnesota and those serving the White Earth Reservation got a major boost in their access to broadband communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built cell site.

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s in Wisconsin was the first tribe to participate in in-depth discussions with the FirstNet Authority, and they were the first to sign an agreement with AT&T to build a new cell tower on tribal land. This buildout will help both the first responders supporting the Red Cliff Band and the residents who live there.