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The Fire Services Take: Winter 2021
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The Fire Service Take by Gary McCarraher
Three FirstNet tools that benefit the fire service
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In the fire service, the right tools make a difference and may end up saving a life. That’s why the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) is committed to providing communication tools designed for public safety. I want to share three FirstNet tools especially helpful for the fire service: integration with land mobile radios, mission-critical push-to-talk, and high-power user equipment.
A tool to connect technologies: LTE-LMR integration
Voice continues to be public safety’s fundamental form of communication. My FirstNet Authority colleagues and I heard from nearly 13,500 public safety stakeholders in 2020 about the importance of voice communications. One of our goals is to augment existing voice communication systems with advanced technologies to offer even more high-quality, reliable options for first responders.
Kelly Dignin, executive director of Indiana’s public safety commission, says that integrating broadband (LTE) and land-mobile radio systems (LMR) enhances coverage and saves money. By using a push-to-talk app connected via FirstNet, smartphones and land-mobile radios can talk seamlessly with each other.
“I have officers, firefighters, who are going inside buildings that the radio system just is not going to reach. So, that LTE device can work off the WiFi, and it resolves that low coverage area. They complement one another, they’re not a competitor,” she said. “[But] the biggest thing that we’re noticing is how it’s going to save money. We believe five to six million dollars can be saved in Indiana.”
A first-of-its-kind tool: Mission-critical push-to-talk
The next generation in push-to-talk is when the tool has mission-critical capabilities. A tool is considered mission-critical if its failure would cause the mission to fail. That’s why it’s important for the fire service to have a push-to-talk tool that is ready for the demands of any mission.
FirstNet Push-to-Talk is the first-ever nationwide mission-critical push-to-talk service in the U.S. It was built to public safety standards set by 3GPP, the international group that develops telecommunication protocols. The FirstNet Push-to-Talk tool debuted with beta testing in early 2020, and first responders are continuing to use it in real-world scenarios to validate its mission-critical capabilities. Last week it was announced that FirstNet Push-to-Talk can also integrate with land-mobile radio systems.
I remember when the jaws of life first came out. It was heavy and bulky, but saved lives. Fast forward to today when hydraulic rescue tools have evolved to be lighter and nimble and save even more lives. In the same way, FirstNet Push-to-Talk is an evolutionary product that will continue to grow to meet first responders’ needs.
Today, the fire service is relying more than ever on smartphones and apps, even on the fire front. So mission-critical push-to-talk will become an important communications tool for firefighters.
A tool to boost connectivity: High-power user equipment
Whether battling wildfires deep in remote forestland or climbing high-rise stairwells toward the fire floor, firefighters need reliable communications in situations where connectivity is challenging. FirstNet is the only network authorized for high-power user equipment to boost signal strength for first responders. High-power user equipment transmits signals up to six times the normal cellular power to increase range and coverage for public safety. The high-power user equipment solution is called FirstNet MegaRange.
For rural, wildland, and tribal firefighters, high-power user equipment can significantly increase the coverage area in their communities. For urban and suburban firefighters, high-power user equipment can help address the challenge of indoor or below-ground coverage. FirstNet MegaRange can help the fire service communicate no matter where the mission takes them.
Your experience
What communications tool would help your agency? Send me an email to let me know your experience or questions about FirstNet.
Also, I hope you’ll check out these events that my FirstNet Authority colleagues and I are participating in:
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The FirstNet Authority continues to advance unique capabilities for public safety as outlined in the FirstNet Authority Roadmap, including four new mission-ready solutions:
FirstNet MegaRange™ boosts signal strength in hard-to-reach places using high-power user equipment (HPUE) only authorized on FirstNet.
Z-Axis for FirstNet offers vertical location mapping especially helpful with locating personnel in tall buildings that is not offered by traditional GPS.
Compact Rapid Deployables are available for public safety agencies to purchase, providing connectivity similar to cell sites in a matter of minutes.
FirstNet Push-to-Talk now can communicate seamlessly with land-mobile radio users, enabling better collaboration.
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The FirstNet network continues to expand across America. In the last three months, new cell sites have gone up in: Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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Tech, Innovations, and Hot Topics in Fire Service
Read what we’ve been hearing from public safety in the field about trends and drivers for fire services and emergency communications.*
Fire departments are using technology to stay connected to their communities during the COVID-19 crisis. Whitestown Fire Department in Indiana is connecting with their community through virtual reality station and apparatus tours, immersive firefighting experiences, and even a first-person view of distracted driving.
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When Lieutenant LeRoy Sisley of the Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team #10 in Washington arrived on the Bertschi Road Fire in Glenwood, he quickly noticed cell service was spotty and limited. Within three hours of submitting a request to FirstNet, a deployable network asset arrived on scene. This deployable provided much needed coverage to the firefighters responding to the wildfire, allowing them to check weather reports, order supplies and equipment, and coordinate with other teams.
Watch the video |
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Gary McCarraher is the FirstNet Authority Fire Services Subject Matter Expert. Learn more about Gary or email him with your questions. |
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*FirstNet Authority may provide hyperlinks for third-party, non-governmental websites in order to offer additional context and added value for our users. FirstNet Authority does not endorse any product or service and is not responsible, nor can it guarantee the validity or timeliness of the content on hyperlinks outside of the federal government. In addition, users may wish to review privacy notices on non-government sites since their information collection practices may differ from ours.
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