State

The Putnam County Emergency Operations Center used FirstNet to bolster communications after tornadoes tore a 60-mile path through western and middle Tennessee. 

Emergency Management professionals across the country are using FirstNet for many aspects of emergency planning and response, including in emergency operation centers, for incident management teams, in exercises and drills, and with deployables.

At the 2020 Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise, hosted by the Texas A&M University’s Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center, public safety officials practiced integrating new technologies, including a FirstNet deployable, into disaster operations during a simulated cyberattack. Participants included unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) teams from Florida State University, which integrated their UAS with the deployable to share information with command posts.

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.

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.

FirstNet supported Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue operations during Super Bowl LIV.

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.

During an emergency management exercise of an aircraft accident, emergency management personnel at the TF Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island participated in a FirstNet demonstration to test the network’s capabilities. Throughout the exercise, the FirstNet devices were used to help manage communications between care teams and the emergency communications center.

First responders tested the FirstNet network during a routine emergency management exercise at TF Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Despite being a significant distance apart, first responders stayed connected and were able to exchange information in real-time, making sure crash victims were tended to swiftly and properly.

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.

Officers with the Troy Police Department in New York rely on FirstNet for a differentiated emergency communications experience in the city’s densely populated urban setting. FirstNet’s priority and preemption service allows officers to stay connected, make calls, and send and receive information securely without signal delay or disruption.

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.

Nicknamed the “Hall of Fame City,” each year Canton, Ohio plays host to the Enshrinement Festival. At the 2019 festival, FirstNet proved invaluable to first responders during a severe thunderstorm, which caused the evacuation of over 30,000 attendees.

Historic Annapolis, Maryland, hosts nearly two million tourists annually, and public safety officials are responsible for protecting these visitors and local residents throughout the town and in the surrounding Chesapeake Bay. Recognizing the need for reliable communications for first responders, local law enforcement, emergency management, and city services are rolling out FirstNet.

With FirstNet's reliable broadband connection, Derry police officers are always connected and able to extend their LMR footprint.

The FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) held its bi-annual meeting in Austin, TX, where more than 20 PSAC members gathered to discuss 2019 activities and accomplishments and 2020 goals and initiatives. Kenzie Capece, FirstNet Authority Senior Public Safety Advisor, recaps the conversation on the FirstNet Authority Roadmap and special presentations from FirstNet, Built with AT&T, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The FirstNet Authority supports the Tech to Protect Challenge, hosted by National Institute of Standards and Technology Public Safety Communications Research Division.