Coverage

While the FirstNet Core already separates public safety traffic from commercial traffic, the inclusion of coverage and capacity as a Roadmap domain will help to ensure FirstNet network presence within any given geography, with sufficient capacity for public safety to perform its duties whether they are serving communities that are urban, rural, or something in between.

Every year, the FirstNet Authority provides a report to Congress, outlining the activities, operations, financial condition, and accomplishments from the previous fiscal year. Tom Shull, FirstNet Authority Director of Government Affairs, provides an overview of the FirstNet Authority’s Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2019.

The Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District is turning to push-to-talk over LTE on FirstNet to help augment radio communications and coverage in the rural, mountainous area they protect. This move will also help the agency save money and provide more ways for first responders to partner and communicate with other agencies in the region.

FirstNet boosted coverage for personnel aboard the U.S. Navy’s medical ship, the USNS Comfort, when it was deployed to New York City to treat COVID-19 patients. FirstNet also deployed a cell on wheels in Los Angeles to support the naval ship Mercy.

North Dakota’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of four new, purpose-built cell sites. The sites – two located in Slope County and one each in McLean and Stark County – are part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place in North Dakota, which is bringing increased coverage, capacity, and capabilities to first responders across the state.

The Canton Fire Department transitioned to FirstNet to augment radio communications, enhance planning and response with new data capabilities, and address coverage gaps in their small town, 15 miles south of Boston.

First responders in the East Carroll Parish area got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built cell site. The site – located in Lake Providence – is part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place in Louisiana, which is bringing increased coverage, capacity, and capabilities to first responders across the state.

Knoxville Fire and Rescue in Iowa subscribed to the network in order to address existing communications gaps. 

The Hamilton County Communications Center in Ohio is responsible for dispatch services for public safety agencies across the county. Access to FirstNet’s robust and reliable platform is helping tactical dispatchers at the center.

Located in rural Kansas, the Junction City Fire Department’s EMS division is using FirstNet to address communication challenges when transporting patients long distances, coordinating regional recovery efforts after tornados, and deploying to national disaster sites.

New Hampshire's first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of four new, purpose-built cell sites, as well as more than 100 other network enhancements. The sites are part of the FirstNet network expansion and will bring increased coverage, capacity, and capabilities to first responders across the state.

FirstNet Authority Senior Public Safety Advisor Gary McCarraher sits down with Chief Charles Doody to discuss the Canton (MA) Fire Department’s migration to FirstNet and how the network provides a pipeline for data and helps fill communications gaps that traditional portable radios cannot.

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.

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. 

When a tornado struck 14.5 square miles and 12,000 properties of Beavercreek, Ohio, public safety utilized FirstNet to do damage assessments during recovery efforts. Beavercreek Township Fire Department Battalion Chief, Nathan Hiester shares why having a dedicated public safety network, when ‘those seconds actually count.’

On Memorial Day 2019, nearly 55 tornadoes touched down in eight states across the country. Ohio saw some of the worst damage, including an EF3 tornado that tore through Beavercreek Township. The Beavercreek Township Fire Department used FirstNet to assist with damage assessment efforts.

Lindale Independent School District in Texas uses FirstNet to connect its fleet of school buses in case of emergencies.

Tabitha Smithers, an emergency aviation flight nurse and Goochland County Fire and EMS volunteer paramedic, uses FirstNet to alleviate communications hurdles in a rural region of Virginia.

A new cell tower in Stamping Ground, Kentucky, is bringing first responders in Scott County enhanced coverage and capabilities through FirstNet.

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.