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The 9-1-1 Take: Summer 2021
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The 9-1-1 Take with John Hunt
Transforming the future of emergency communications
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If you’re attending this year’s conference for the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) on August 15-18 in San Antonio, Texas, I hope you’ll check out our sessions on FirstNet. For the second year, APCO has dedicated an entire track of the conference to FirstNet. The theme is “Transforming the Future of Emergency Communications.” We have 14 sessions planned with diverse speakers who are experts on or users of FirstNet. Here are two of the sessions that aren’t to be missed.
Help create the future of public safety communications
Twenty years ago, the 9/11 attacks forever changed our nation—and set a new course for the way public safety communicates. The tragedies of 9/11 revealed fundamental problems with communication systems used by our nation’s first responders. FirstNet was created in light of the 9/11 attacks to serve as public safety’s nationwide broadband network.
Today, FirstNet has transformed public safety communications. Device manufacturers and app developers now view the public safety community in a new light, offering services and technology tailored for public safety operations.
At APCO, we will discuss the future of public safety communications in a panel called “The Future of FirstNet Belongs to Public Safety.” The session will cover FirstNet’s unique offerings, how the network has solved longstanding communication challenges, and how you can help envision innovations for emergency communications.
Your feedback
The FirstNet track at the APCO conference is a great way to hear from us about the latest in public safety broadband. Equally important is that we hear from you. Emergency communication centers are the public’s first point of contact, and you need technology solutions to help you get the right information to the right places at the right time.
Our job at the FirstNet Authority is to translate your feedback into actionable improvements for the network. In the last year, FirstNet Authority investments delivered access to AT&T 5G and expanded the fleet of deployables by 15 assets. Learn more about how we do this in the APCO session: “FirstNet Roadmap: How Responders are Informing Investment in America’s Public Safety Network.”
Let’s talk
Visit the APCO conference site for details on these sessions and others in the FirstNet track. I hope you will join the FirstNet sessions to learn how FirstNet benefits 9-1-1 and emergency communication centers.
Can’t make the APCO conference? Send me an email or find me or one of my FirstNet Authority colleagues at these events:
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We delivered on our promise to public safety to expand coverage with new investments in the FirstNet deployable program. Now, when faced with damaged infrastructure, remote environments, or crowded events, first responders can call on 100+ deployables, including SatCOLTS (satellite cell on light trucks), the new Communications Vehicles, or a Compact Rapid Deployable.
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Using the FirstNet Uplift Request Tool, public safety can temporarily elevate extended primary users like utilities or public works to the same priority level as primary users. When utility workers are restoring services after disaster, their uplifted devices get priority access to network resources so they can coordinate with first responders.
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The FirstNet Authority conducted a wildfire working group to examine how firefighters use FirstNet in wildfire response, and their lessons learned. Our team spoke to several agencies and firefighters told us about real-life communication challenges and successes during wildfire response and came away with five things to know about FirstNet and wildfires.
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At the intersection of STEM and public safety, female innovators are working to make first responders’ jobs easier and more efficient. Our recent podcast showcases three women in STEM as they discuss their experiences and highlight current projects.
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Tech, Innovations, and Hot Topics in 9-1-1
Read what we’ve been hearing from public safety in the field about trends and drivers for 9-1-1 and emergency communications.*
In a far-reaching emergency, many agencies can’t exchange information between their computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems. First responders in Kansas are conducting a pilot for CAD interoperability across the state. It’s testing the exchange of data and cross-jurisdictional dispatch between different communication centers to increase situational awareness and operational efficiency.
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The Arlington Emergency Communications Center in Virginia is one of the first in the nation to deploy remote call-taking, dispatching, and supervision capabilities. Deployed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, these new capabilities allow Arlington telecommunicators to work remotely with a setup that includes a FirstNet hotspot.
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John Hunt is a Senior Public Safety Advisor and the First Responder Network Authority 9-1-1 Subject Matter Expert. Learn more about John or email him with your questions. |
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Top photo: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arlington (Va.) Emergency Communications Center became one of the first in the nation to deploy remote call-taking, dispatching, and supervision, using a setup that includes a FirstNet hotspot.
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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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