Q&A WITH KELLEY ADLEY
FirstNet platform enhances wireless communications for first responders
Q: Why was FirstNet created for Oklahoma and across the U.S.?
A: FirstNet is the nationwide public safety communications platform dedicated to America’s first responders. It’s designed to enhance wireless communications for first responders, helping them reliably connect to the critical information they need. The recommendation for a dedicated, purpose-built solution for first responders was born from the communication challenges that police, fire and other public safety agencies experienced during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. That day, police officers flying over the World Trade Center saw the danger of building collapse, but weren’t able to warn the firefighters inside the towers due to varying radio systems and network congestion. This is just one of the many challenges responders faced, and those challenges made it clear that the needs of public safety demanded more than the communications capabilities they had. That’s why first responders across the country spent years advocating for a dedicated, nationwide wireless network. Oklahomans have faced more than their fair share of tragedies over the years — from the Murrah Building bombing to the I-40 bridge collapse in 2002 and countless tornadoes. And, with FirstNet’s dedicated communications platform, in every emergency and every day, public safety can focus on what matters most — saving lives.
Q: How would Oklahoma first responders benefit from FirstNet?
A: FirstNet provides public safety with enhanced situational awareness, empowering them to use data in new ways via connected devices and tools, apps, video and more. Many don’t realize that while other industries have moved forward technologically, public safety has been using some of the same communications technology used by World War II soldiers. FirstNet brings first responders a muchneeded technology upgrade. Whether responding to an emergency at a professional basketball game, assisting with tornado recovery efforts or simply managing day-to-day operations, Oklahoma responders in rural and urban areas using FirstNet will have increased coverage and capacity with always-on priority and pre-emption to ensure reliable communications — no matter the situation.
Q: When will FirstNet be available?
A: FirstNet is available to public safety entities and individual responders nationwide, and it’s already changing the way first responders think about and use communications. Current users include federal agencies, state national guards, state patrol agencies, tribal public safety agencies, local public safety agencies and more. FirstNet is also available to an extended community that could be called on to help support first responders — from the mitigation, remediation, overhaul, clean up and restoration to the provisioning of other services required during the time of an emergency or its aftermath. Think hospitals, schools, utilities and transportation as examples. To put it simply, FirstNet is available and ready today to help law enforcement, the fire service, EMS and more do their jobs safely and effectively.
PAULA BURKES, BUSINESS WRITER