When an eight-year-old boy went missing in Michigan's sprawling Porcupine Mountains, an extensive search and rescue operation was initiated. Darian Reed, President of Superior Search and Rescue, discovered that broadband and data service support from FirstNet was pivotal in successfully and safely recovering the child ..read more

The University of Virginia (UVA) Health system uses nearly 4,000 mobile devices, powered by FirstNet, to enhance care for patients. The leader of UVA Health’s Mobile Device Technologies program, Anthony Thompson, discusses the impact of FirstNet in healthcare and how it’s supporting telemedicine capabilities, translation services, and rural healthcare ..read more

Macon Bibb County, Georgia is redefining they way it prepares for disasters and major events each day. Spencer Hawkins, Emergency Management Director for the Macon-Bibb County government discusses the county’s plans for facing all types of issues including hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and other major weather events. The Emergency Management team also works tirelessly to ensure all stakeholders in the area work on integrated communications when they approach disasters including local law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and secondary users like public works ..read more

When a rural fire in Brooks County, Texas engulfed 6,500 acres of land, the Falfurrias Fire Department faced significant communication and coordination challenges due to the remote location of the fire. FirstNet provided a solution to this problem with the deployment of a SatCOLT, a vehicle with its own cell site non-reliant on commercial power supplies, that provided crucial connectivity and support to over 40 agencies and public safety personnel. This subsequently enabled efficient mapping of the location, real-time weather updates, and seamless communication among first responders ..read more

In Charles County, Maryland, the school district has adopted FirstNet’s secure and dependable network to ensure communication during emergency and day-to-day situations. The school district has also integrated the use of drones into their school security plans, enhancing situational awareness for responders so they can more efficiently respond to emergencies ..read more

The Super Bowl — America’s largest sporting event — requires significant pre-planning to ensure the safety of players, staff, and spectators. Coordinating public safety communications for Super Bowl LVII involved more than a dozen different cities and jurisdictions and posed unique challenges, including overlap with another major sporting event the same week. Through the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program, public safety officials in Arizona received pre-planning assistance for the Super Bowl, helping responders be ready on game day ..read more

Broadband infrastructure remains limited in rural communities, making it difficult for local public safety to stay connected and respond quickly to emergencies. In Shade Gap, Pennsylvania, this has meant dropped 9-1-1 calls and significant communications challenges for the mountainous area. With the launch of a new FirstNet cell site in Shade Gap, local first responders now have access to high-speed, reliable cellular connectivity that is enhancing public safety for residents and visitors ..read more

The Oxford Police Department is the first public safety agency in Alabama to obtain a FirstNet compact rapid deployable, a miniature cell tower that generates cellular and wi-fi coverage quickly, efficiently, and wherever it’s needed. This advanced technology acts as a solution for challenges that first responders face when trying to stay connected during emergencies, in more rural areas, or during large events where networks can get overwhelmed ..read more

In St. Augustine, Florida, public safety officials navigate obstacles ranging from antiquated infrastructure causing connectivity issues to saturated networks due to tourism and special events. With the adoption of FirstNet, the police department, fire department, and other city agencies are using the network to reliably communicate throughout the oldest city in the country ..read more

The Public Safety Immersive Test Center is a state-of-the-art facility designed to provide responders, researchers, and developers a virtual environment to develop, test, and evaluate public safety technologies. FirstNet Authority Chief Network Technology Officer Jeff Bratcher and Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division Chief Dereck Orr discuss the launch of the Test Center and the history of partnership between the FirstNet Authority and PSCR ..read more