Technology

Brian Schoonmaker was named Chief of Police in Hazleton, Pennsylvania in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. With FirstNet, Chief Schoonmaker jumped right into developing policies to keep the community and police officers safe during this unprecedented event.

Michigan’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites and other network enhancements.

Illinois’ first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites and other network enhancements at nearly 1,500 existing sites.

A research team from Texas A&M University traveled to Hawaii when the Kilauea volcano erupted in 2018. Using small drones and the FirstNet network, they live-streamed the lava flow to the emergency operations center more than 30 miles away. FirstNet provided the connection and bandwidth needed to share quality footage in real time, enabling first responders to quickly plan and respond to impending dangers.

Virginia’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites and other network enhancements statewide.

Carroll County Public Schools in Maryland are utilizing BusPatrol to ensure the safety of their students. The program, which utilizes FirstNet’s dedicated public safety network, helps to deter illegal passing of stopped school buses.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Alexandria Department of Emergency and Customer Communications in Virginia implemented remote call-taking and dispatching to keep telecommunicators safe while still serving their community. Using WiFi hotspots connected to FirstNet, the agency was the first in the nation to enable remote 9-1-1 emergency call-taking.

Emergency operations centers are working hard, facing an above-average Atlantic hurricane season. Public safety officials are turning to technology to monitor storms and communicate. And FirstNet is providing the coverage and capacity first responders need when responding in the aftermath of major storms.

New Hampshire’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites since the end of last year – located in Grafton, Rockingham, Strafford, Merrimack, Cheshire and Belknap counties.

First responders in Hyndman, Bedford County, are getting a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built FirstNet cell site that AT&T turned on. This new site is a part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place across the state, bringing increased coverage, capacity and capabilities for public safety.

First responders in Northern Minnesota will soon be getting a major boost in their wireless communications with construction underway of a new, purpose-built FirstNet cell site – one of the first primarily powered by solar in the Midwest.

Kentucky’s first responders are got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites in 9 counties – Adair, Allen, Casey, Clay, Edmonson, Floyd, Laurel, Perry and Whitley – and more than 600 other network enhancements.

Florida’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites and more than 2,000 other network enhancements. This new infrastructure is a part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place across the state, bringing increased coverage, capacity and capabilities for public safety.

First responders in Western Massachusetts got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built cell sites. The sites – located in the communities of Worthington, Hardwick and Huntington – are part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place in Massachusetts, which is bringing increased coverage, capacity and capability to first responders across the state.

The FirstNet Authority is taking part in several panel discussions, as well as a virtual booth for the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ 2020 Fire-Rescue International ReIGNITE conference. During the event, attendees can take the opportunity to learn about FirstNet’s innovations for public safety agencies and all of the resources available to them through the network.

Alabama’s first responders got a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites supporting 8 communities: Anniston, Banks, Berry, Clio, Orrville, Ranburne, Union Springs and Woodland. This new infrastructure is a part of the FirstNet network expansion taking place across the state, bringing increased coverage, capacity and capabilities for public safety.

New cell sites in the state of South Carolina will bring improved coverage to first responders. The new sites are part of the FirstNet network’s expanding infrastructure for the state.

New cell sites in the state of North Dakota will bring improved coverage to first responders. The new sites are part of the FirstNet network’s expanding infrastructure for the state.

The momentum continued at the September 2020 3GPP Plenary meetings with Release 17 (R17) work fully underway. Several studies are moving into the normative work phase and address public safety areas of interest, including enhanced location services, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) such as drones, direct mode enhancements including sidelink relay, and 5G multicast-broadcast.

A new cell site in the state of Maryland will bring improved coverage to first responders in the city of Waldorf. The new site is part of the FirstNet network’s expanding infrastructure for the state.