Putting FirstNet to the test for remote 9-1-1 operations

By John Hunt and Lori Stone, Senior Public Safety Advisors, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)

One thing the 9-1-1 community learned from the pandemic was the need to plan for alternate ways to work. Rather than be tied to workstations at fixed locations, 9-1-1 telecommunicators need flexibility to remotely take, dispatch, and supervise calls. In December 2021, Maryland telecommunicators put FirstNet to the test, demonstrating the network’s connectivity and reliability during remote operations.

Remote call-taking expo

Six counties from across Maryland staged a 9-1-1 expo with live call-taking from a remote and crowded location using FirstNet.  READ FULL ARTICLE