State

From 911 calls to continuity of operations and pandemic response, technology helps the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) support response operations and communications to keep the university

The Virginia Communications Cache supports public safety communications during emergencies or large planned events, ensuring first responders have quick access to equipment, including radios, repeaters, antennas, and backup power. In December 2022, the state’s five cache teams conducted an exercise simulating a rescue in a cave. With FirstNet, the teams were able to set up wireless capabilities for computers and cellphones in the caverns, allowing responders to make phone calls, use apps, and coordinate resources thousands of feet underground.

The Oregon Department of Human Services is preparing for a potential Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. The agency identified locations that could become isolated from the surrounding communities if a disaster occurred. To prepare the state for this and other hazards, ODHS purchased 10 Compact Rapid Deployables from FirstNet and stationed them across the state, specifically targeting vulnerable areas.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Emergency Communication Networks division has partnered with FirstNet to ensure seamless communication in emergency situations. During a flood assessment, Beltrami County’s disaster recovery team used a MegaGo​ kit – a network boosting device – to connect to FirstNet to bolster communication in this remote part of Northern Minnesota.

When Iowa needed a backup communications network for its public safety answering points, the state turned to FirstNet. Blake DeRouchey, 9-1-1 program manager for the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, shared how Iowa uses FirstNet as a failover so 9-1-1 calls stay connected.

FirstNet is furthering critical communications for first responders by expanding 5G, boosting dedicated in-building connectivity, and enhancing 9-1-1 resiliency across Tennessee with FirstNet as a wireless backup.

One thing the 9-1-1 community learned from the pandemic was the need to plan for alternate ways to work. Rather than be tied to workstations at fixed locations, 9-1-1 telecommunicators need flexibility to remotely take, dispatch, and supervise calls. 9-1-1 leaders looked to technology for a solution. Through FirstNet, the nationwide public-safety broadband network, first responders had access to a secure, reliable connection outside of the ECC. 

During an emergency, 9-1-1 is the public’s first point of contact—which presents unique challenges for telecommunicators. Andrea Baughn, Indiana’s deputy statewide interoperability coordinator and 9-1-1 liaison, shared how her state is supporting emergency communication centers and how FirstNet can support the unique challenges of 9-1-1.

First responders at any size event depend on reliable communication to ensure a successful and safe outcome. In preparation for the Super Bowl in 2022, Los Angeles area public safety agencies’ used the FirstNet Authority’s pre-planning event support to help maximize broadband capabilities. This free and unique service from the FirstNet Authority resulted in more timely and efficient decision-making, better coordinated responses, and well-managed resources and logistics.

Jeff Pierce has served for decades as South Dakota’s statewide interoperability coordinator and engineering manager for the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications. On the brink of retirement, Pierce shares his vantage point looking at the past, present, and future of public safety communications. No matter where Pierce looks, he sees interoperability as the key to effective public safety communications.

One thing the 9-1-1 community learned from the pandemic was the need to plan for alternate ways to work. Rather than be tied to workstations at fixed locations, 9-1-1 telecommunicators need flexibility to remotely take, dispatch, and supervise calls. In December 2021, Maryland telecommunicators put FirstNet to the test, demonstrating the network’s connectivity and reliability during remote operations.

Local and state public agencies and hundreds of attendees gathered in Sonoma to participate in a full-scale earthquake response exercise hosted by the California National Guard and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Fire Rescue Branch. At the response exercise, FirstNet was onsite to ensure that technology ran smoothly and supplied deployable assets like High Power User Equipment, or devices that have a cellular modem enabling users to connect to a cellular network.

 

Coverage is king for public safety communications. Since its creation, the FirstNet Authority has focused on ensuring first responders have coverage and connectivity whenever and wherever they need it. Deployables, high power user equipment, and a focus on 5G are some of the new ways FirstNet subscribers can get coverage in hard-to-reach areas.

 

Walter “Pete” Landon, Director of Homeland Security and Chief of Staff for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, spent decades in law enforcement and saw the evolution of technology and communications. In his roles, he advocates for enhancing public safety communications and bringing advanced tools to first responders.

As vaccines became available, the New Hampshire Department of Safety set up a large vaccination clinic in Loudon. “Go-kits” with cameras, battery packs, routers with FirstNet SIM cards, and other internet-based devices were used to oversee and coordinate the operation, and the ability to stream video footage to unified command was critical to decision-making.

As vaccines became available, the New Hampshire Department of Safety set up a large vaccination clinic in Loudon. “Go-kits” with cameras, battery packs, routers with FirstNet SIM cards, and other internet-based devices were used to oversee and coordinate the operation, and the ability to stream video footage to unified command was critical to decision-making.

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.

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.

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.