Spoiler Alert! What’s Coming Up at Vision 2024

By James Careless

The 2024 Vision FirstNet Users Summit — aka Vision 2024 — takes place at the new Sahara Hotel/Conference Center in Las Vegas October 7-10, 2024. This is the place where FirstNet users and eligible users get together with knowledgeable first responders, communications equipment manufacturers and service providers, academic and government experts, and key players from the FirstNet Authority to discuss all things FirstNet. 

As always, the Vision conference is being hosted and organized by the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA). Their mission is to empower the first responder community by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to participate in the overall success of the FirstNet network.

John Paul Jones is the PSBTA’s Executive Director, having spent 34 years in the fire service including 32 years with the Kansas City Kansas Fire Department and 12+ years as Fire Chief during his fire career. In an exclusive interview with AllThingsFirstNet.com, he previewed what’s coming up at Vision 2024. (For those who need warning, consider this to be a spoiler alert.)

This Year’s Theme

Each Vision FirstNet Users Summit is built upon a theme, and Vision 2024 follows that tradition. “This year’s theme is what we refer to as ‘Triple I’: “Interdisciplinary–Inclusive–Interoperability,” said Chief Jones. “The reason why this theme is so important is because the PSBTA is all about bringing public safety together. We do this by fostering professional relationships, which are the key factor to public safety success. Public safety agencies can always learn from and help each other, and because relationships matter across disciplines, Vision 2024 is designed to help make this happen.”

All Kinds of Content!

This year’s Vision FirstNet Users Summit has a solid lineup of compelling content. Details can be found in the conference agenda.

Because there’s so much content being offered at Vision 2024, AllThingsFirstNet.com asked Chief Jones to give us an overview. Here’s what he told us.

“We’re going to have successful FirstNet use cases with public safety agencies from across the country that will speak in reference to them,” Chief Jones said. “We also want to talk about emerging technologies: We want to highlight what we call ‘intersecting technologies’, which is what occurs when different technologies come together, really to serve as a force multiplier for public safety.”

The wide-ranging possibilities of 5G cellular technology for public safety, which is being deployed on the FirstNet network, will also be a hot topic at Vision 2024, so will the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT)— a science fiction-like term for devices connecting to each other across the web to share data —advances in streaming video, Next Generation 911, and of course artificial intelligence (AI). “Two years ago, nobody talked about AI,” said Chief Jones. “It wasn’t on the radar screen, as far as most folks in public safety were concerned. But things have changed, which is why AI is on the Vision 2024 agenda, as it seems like AI is a technology that’s not only emerging, but is accelerating. I think AI is going to have a dramatic impact on public safety.”

Now acquiring all of this new technology costs money, which seems to always be in short supply for public safety agencies. This is why information about grants programs for public safety — including free one-on-one sessions with the Director of Grants Assistance of Public Sector Grants Kamala Kuhn — is on the Vision 2024 agenda. “We’ll be learning about government grant programs and how to pursue funding streams,” Chief Jones said. “A lot of this is really nuts and bolts/bread and butter information, but learning it can help public safety amplify their opportunities through grant funding.”

Given that this is the Vision FirstNet Users Summit, all kinds of information about the public safety network will be on the schedule. “The public safety industry gave birth to FirstNet through a lot of blood, sweat and tears, so anything that we can do to keep our eye on the prize matters,” said Chief Jones. “It’s been a long time since 9/11, the tragedy led to the creation of FirstNet as a positive response. This is public safety’s network, so we have to do everything we can to make sure that everybody is tuned in to why it’s important and how you can utilize it to the best of your ability, along with the FirstNet Authority’s reinvestment and reauthorization efforts.”

What Makes Vision 2024 Summit Worth Attending?

This is a good question, and one that many potential attendees’ bosses will ask when approached for funding for this conference. (To make this process easier, Vision 2024 has created a ‘Justification Toolkit’.) 

The answer: “I truly believe that what makes Vision 2024 a worthwhile experience for public safety is that its content is tailored to primary and extended primary FirstNet users,” Chief Jones replied. “Our goal is to give FirstNet end users a voice and an opportunity to have meaningful interactions with public safety organizational leaders across the country, and a say in how FirstNet goes forward. This is why Vision 2024, along with the PSBTA, is going to make a difference in improving public safety in America; as previous such conferences have in the past. And I have to tell you, I’m absolutely just amazed at the progress that FirstNet has made to date and the success story that it is. Everybody that’s been involved in it from day one should be very, very proud of what we’ve accomplished.” 

Chief Jones looks forward to welcoming you to the 2024 FirstNet Users Summit.

To learn more about the Vision FirstNet Users Summit and how you can attend, visit here.