Articles by Editorial Staff

Emergency service communication can now cut through congested phone lines during a crisis thanks to two Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), and more than 75 industry partners.

A new government-funded communications network will give them priority over cell service lines.

Talbot County’s first responders are getting a boost in their wireless communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built cell site.

Kevin McGinnis, former FirstNet Authority board member, member of the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) and program manager for the National Association of State EMS Officials, explains how the development of broadband services like FirstNet and the Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) payment model being piloted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) could change how patients are treated, especially in rural areas.

AT&T has partnered with the government of Talbot County in Maryland to launch a FirstNet cell site on Tilghman Island. The company said Tuesday it has also constructed an additional AT&T cell site at Bozman, Md., to provide expanded network coverage for residents, visitors and first responders.

By Rachel Vadajand Harry Boomer| August 28, 2019 at 12:39 PM EDT – Updated August 28 at 7:10 PM STARK COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – The Canton Police Department, Canton Fire Department and Stark…

Public-safety users have been able to subscribe to FirstNet for only two years, but the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) is making a significant impact on the operations of several first-responder agencies, providing cost-effective data and deployable support immediately and a mission-critical voice option in the future.

America’s public safety communications platform – features the first-ever App Catalog geared to first responders. This gives FirstNet subscribers a dedicated location to find meaningful new solutions that have been specifically reviewed for use with FirstNet services. Before any mobile solution can be added to the FirstNet App Catalog, it must pass stringent tests for security, relevancy, data privacy and more.

When you have more options and you have that competition, it really helps,” Blackburn said. “One of the things I keep the focus on is that you’re not going to have 21st century economic development, health care, education or law enforcement without access to high-speed internet, and (FirstNet) is a great example of that.