Local
First responders and security personnel at Redstone Arsenal got another major boost in their wireless communications thanks to new, purpose-built cell sites on the Army Base.
The Casper Police Department in Wyoming was one of the first agencies to use the FirstNet network in August 2017 when the city’s population was expected to nearly double during a solar eclipse. Four years later, FirstNet is providing Casper police officers with coverage across the city, dedicated applications to enhance operations, and connectivity to other city agencies during everyday incidents and major emergencies.
First responders in Tioga County are getting another major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet network expansion currently underway by AT&T.
When disaster strikes, most emergency managers and public safety officials rely on pen and paper to conduct damage assessments. The process involves slow, manual data entry and can delay disaster aid for weeks. In Cherokee County, Alabama, emergency management personnel are using FirstNet devices to collect and upload damage assessment information in real time so that communities can get the help and resources they need faster.
FirstNet is bringing first responders across Indiana County in Pennsylvania access to advanced tools and technology, helping agencies communicate more efficiently and share critical information. A FirstNet cell site was also turned on in the county, bringing enhanced coverage so responders can access the resources they need, when and where they need them.
The Indiana County Emergency Management Agency in Pennsylvania is responsible for emergency management in the county and oversees emergency communication operations for the county’s public safety agencies. FirstNet provides personnel with connectivity in the most remote parts of the county, and the network enables advanced capabilities for first responders, such as remote training and enhanced location and mapping services.
Emergency management agencies are turning to the FirstNet Authority’s planning tools and support mechanisms — including an exercise inject catalog, event pre-planning program, and post incident/event review process — to help emergency managers and other public safety officials integrate broadband into their daily operations and emergency response. Through collaborative efforts with our team, responders across the nation are leveraging these offerings as part of their SMART approach to emergency management.
Local and state leaders gathered in Caledonia to celebrate the enhanced coverage new FirstNet infrastructure brings to rural areas in southeast Missouri.
The Grand Rapids Police Department in Michigan is a full-service law enforcement agency serving a largely urban community. Officers with the department began experiencing in-car computers slowing down and losing the ability to access systems and databases due to reduced bandwidth. Since switching to FirstNet, officers can access the software they need throughout the city, giving them greater mobility while providing cost savings to the department.
Members of the Mason County Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) in West Virginia often find themselves working in more remote parts of the county. Understanding the importance of remaining connected, DHSEM and other county agencies switched to FirstNet after extensive testing. The county’s public safety agencies are now using the network to improve patient care during longer hospital transports and to enhance communications at COVID-19 testing sites.
The FirstNet Authority provides three types of support to help public safety agencies as they prepare for all hazards: pre-planning support, an exercise inject catalog, and post-incident reviews. These three types of support help agencies understand how to best use FirstNet during disasters or large events, leading to more timely and efficient decision-making, better coordinated response, and well-managed resources and logistics.
Sheriff Neil Miller of the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska began implementing mobile data more than 20 years ago, and he continues to bring advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of operations for deputies. With FirstNet being built out throughout the state of Nebraska, deputies and other first responders are able to spend more time in the communities they serve.
The tragedies of 9/11 underscored fundamental problems with communication systems used by our nation’s first responders. In the 20 years since 9/11, technology has changed rapidly. Fortunately, dedicated public safety broadband offered by FirstNet is providing fire departments with powerful new capabilities and modernizing their communications.
Twenty years ago, the 9/11 terrorist attacks forever changed our nation – and set a new course for the way public safety communicates. The FirstNet Authority’s law enforcement expert, Harry Markley, reflects on his experiences on 9/11 and how today public safety communications are different with FirstNet, the nation’s public safety broadband network.
When sudden, intense rainfall caused flash flooding and washed out roads in Washington County, Maine, the county’s emergency management director was stranded in town and unable to physically reach the emergency operations center. FirstNet enabled her to remain connected to her staff and other officials to coordinate their response remotely.
Personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department and County Department of Public Health in California are using FirstNet-enabled devices to better serve residents and visitors to the Los Angeles region. In addition to routers, modems, and smartphones, the agencies are utilizing an Internet of Things system solution on the network to help detect radiation and HAZMAT incidents.
The Wilmington Police Department in Delaware serves the state’s largest city. Recognizing the need for more efficient and effective aerial video capabilities, the agency invested in unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in 2014. The agency relies on FirstNet to stream video footage from the drones back to the ground in real time, providing responders with critical information to make in-the-moment decisions.
Teton County is a rural county in northwest Wyoming. Situated in the Teton Range, the county experiences weather hazards including fires, floods, and wintery conditions, as well as earthquakes, landslides, and avalanches. Teton County first responders rely on FirstNet’s hardened network to stay connected in the most remote parts of the county and during tourist season when cell networks grow congested.
Law enforcement agencies in Michigan are taking advantage of mission critical capabilities on FirstNet, such as priority and preemption. For the Grand Rapids Police Department and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, this means officers and deputies are able to communicate and have access to the tools they need in the field, ultimately helping them better serve their communities.
