City of Colorado Springs Expands Public Safety Communications Capabilities with FirstNet

The City of Colorado Springs has joined FirstNet® – a new communications platform built just for public safety. FirstNet provides the City’s first responders new capabilities and reliable access to send and receive critical information while in the field.

Mon, 12/16/2019 – 10:43am

The City of Colorado Springs has joined FirstNet® – a new communications platform built just for public safety. FirstNet provides the City’s first responders new capabilities and reliable access to send and receive critical information while in the field.

FirstNet is designed to improve communications across public safety entities nationwide, allowing first responders to easily and quickly communicate with one another during everyday situations, big events or emergencies. This is integral to solving for the common roadblock that communications issues have posed on past public safety responses.

The Colorado Springs Police Department, Colorado Springs Fire Department, City’s Office of Emergency Management and other emergency personnel are using FirstNet on frontline apparatus and department-issued smartphones. Implementing FirstNet supports the City’s SmartCOS initiatives by offering a wireless communication platform specific to first responders. 

“Public Safety is the City’s number one priority and communications technologies, including good connectivity and data rates, are an important part of our emergency response capabilities,” said City of Colorado Springs Deputy Chief of Staff Bret Waters. “FirstNet’s dedicated platform with priority and preemption will enhance our first responders’ ability to communicate critical information during emergencies.”

Colorado Springs joined FirstNet to provide our first responders with reliable, modern communications tools needed to perform at our best, including:

• One, nationwide communications platform that allows us to efficiently and effectively coordinate emergency responses across agencies and jurisdictions.
• Always-on priority and preemption to give us reliable access to the connection we need – even when the network is congested.
• A separate, dedicated and highly secure network core purpose-built for public safety’s sensitive communications.
• Planned increases in coverage and capacity, enabling us to better respond to emergencies in all areas of Colorado Springs.
• Innovative tools – like relevant applications and connected devices – to give us more actionable information for heightened situational awareness.

“Communication and information sharing is one of the most critical components in our ability to respond to emergencies, during both every day incidents and big events,” said Colorado Springs Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim De Leon. “Whether it’s communicating patient information to a local hospital after a car accident or sending critical information back to the command post during a major event, having a dedicated and highly secure communication platform is extremely important for the best patient care and command decisions.”

FirstNet is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority(link is external) (FirstNet Authority), which hosts the FirstNet Innovation and Test Lab at its technology headquarters in Boulder, CO. It’s designed with and for public safety.

“We’re honored that Colorado Springs chose FirstNet to elevate their communications capabilities,” said Roberta Robinette, president of AT&T Colorado. “It’s our mission to give first responders the cutting-edge tools they need to safely and effectively achieve their mission. FirstNet will help first responders in Colorado Springs and across the country perform at the highest levels to keep themselves and those they serve out of harm’s way.”

“FirstNet is the exclusive communications platform being built with AT&T for public safety, inspired by public safety. There is no substitution for this dedicated network,” said Jeff Bratcher, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, FirstNet Authority. “We look forward to supporting Colorado Springs and all of Colorado’s public safety community with FirstNet, making sure it delivers what they need, when they need it.”

To learn more about FirstNet, go to FirstNet.com(link is external).

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority.  All other marks are the property of their respective owners.