Demonstration/Exercise

Practice Makes FirstNet: 2019 Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise

The FirstNet Authority joined public safety leaders at Texas A&M University Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center’s (ITEC) 2019 Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise. During the exercise, FirstNet was used to demonstrate how the network could enhance operational communications during an earthquake scenario. 

Connecting and Testing in Rural Communities

First responders from the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland integrated FirstNet into search and rescue exercises held in Gore, VA — a remote region in the Shenandoah Valley.

FirstNet Connects Rural Responders During Search and Rescue Exercises

First responders from the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland integrated FirstNet into search and rescue exercises held in Gore, VA — a remote region in the Shenandoah Valley. The exercise gave first responders the opportunity to practice operationalizing public safety broadband in rural areas and in situations they may not experience every day.

Tribal Leaders Voice Broadband Needs for FirstNet Authority Roadmap

At the PSAC Tribal Working Group’s (TWG) semi-annual in-person meeting, the FirstNet Authority updated TWG delegates on FirstNet’s latest developments, and tribal leaders discussed their network needs and shared real-world FirstNet use cases in tribal communities.

Incorporating FirstNet into Emergency Response Exercises

At the Texas A&M University Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center’s 2019 Winter Institute Workshop and Exercise, first responders trained on how to respond during an earthquake. FirstNet was used to enhance operational communications during a simulated natural disaster.

FirstNet Authority Co-Hosts Public Safety Innovation Day

The First Responder Network Authority’s mission is to be a catalyst for advancing the nationwide public safety broadband network. As part of the launch of our roadmap engagement program, we were pleased to co-host a Public Safety Innovation Day on March 6 in College Station, Texas.

Episode 18: Arlington Co. (VA) Emergency Comms Center’s Dave Mulholland

In this episode of Public Safety First, Dave Mulholland — Administrator for the Arlington Co. (VA) Emergency Communications Center — discusses the evolution of emergency communications in the National Capital Region and shares his experiences with a FirstNet demo at the Marine Corps Marathon.

FirstNet Performs at Life is Beautiful Festival

In 2018, the Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival attracted 180,000 visitors from around the globe to an 18-block radius in Las Vegas, Nevada. To assist, 30 FirstNet Ready™ mobile devices were distributed to the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue team, including firefighters, EMS, and bomb squad personnel.

Connecting Through the Crowd, Las Vegas Fire Department

For Craig Cooper, Special Operations Chief for the City of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, the chance to participate in a FirstNet demonstration to bolster emergency communication for area first responders was too good to pass up. When the Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival debuted in 2013, the home grown music festival catered mostly to residents in local and surrounding areas. Since that inaugural event six years ago, the three-day festival in September 2018 attracted 180,000 visitors from all 50 states and 24 countries to the roughly 18-block radius.

FirstNet is “Boston Strong” at the 2018 Marathon

During this year’s Boston marathon, the First Responder Network Authority (First Responder Authority) team and AT&T were on hand to distribute 80 FirstNet devices to fire, police and incident response teams from the cities of Boston and Brookline. Thirty of these phones were outfitted with SIM cards and connected to the dedicated FirstNet Core.