The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will hold its inaugural forum in the Southwest border region in August to engage with federal and regional public safety stakeholders about the communications challenges they face ahead of the deployment of a nationwide public safety broadband network.
FirstNet’s Federal Border Forum, to be held on Aug. 30-31 in Phoenix, Arizona, will update public safety participants on developments at FirstNet while providing Firstnet with a better understanding of how it can support federal border needs.
FirstNet was established by Congress to create and maintain the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety. Its aim is to provide a single interoperable communications platform for emergency and public safety agencies across the country.
The United States’ border with Mexico is approximately 2,000 miles, and much of it is remote terrain that poses a major challenge for public safety entities. Whether preventing drug trafficking or responding to natural disasters, the ability for federal, state and local first responders to share emergency information is critical.
“Maintaining security along the border is a true team effort between federal, state, local and tribal practitioners,” Chris Algiere, FirstNet’s federal consultation lead, said in a recent interview with Homeland Preparedness News. “And having FirstNet provide an interoperability platform, a common platform for data exchange and for situational awareness, is an important piece of it.
“Often what we hear is that there is either no infrastructure or there is limited infrastructure for these organizations to access in order to do the work that they do.”
One aspect of the forum will be an information exchange, Algiere said, “where we understand their operation in order to see how we can deliver the capability to make them more efficient.”
Providing LTE technology to public safety personnel – essentially the data and applications that many private citizens have access to on a mobile phone – would improve effectiveness during emergencies, Algiere added.
“At the end of the day, all we need is to give the capability that the average 15 year old would probably have, and put that in the hands of a public safety practitioner,” Algiere said.
When public safety agencies fight wildfires near the Southwest border with Mexico, accessing current data on weather conditions is key, as is having the ability to share logistical information on where particular assets are, such as personnel, vehicles or air freight.
“There are a lot of ways of providing inputs of data on wildfire characteristics and the current status,” Algiere said. “This would be a way to integrate a lot of that and to have a deployable or transportable capability, to take what normally ends at where an extension cord stops and to be able to push that out in the field further.”
The forum is tentatively expected to feature sessions focusing on FirstNet’s purpose and future plans for consultation with federal departments and agencies, advancements made in LTE technology, and how LTE is used in the public safety space. Separate sessions will give participants a chance to share their thoughts on FirstNet and their public safety concerns and challenges.
“This is our inaugural forum and we’re really looking forward to having public safety stakeholders, including our federal partners, participate,” Algiere said. “It’s an opportunity to get direct feedback particular to geographically where they do business. We are hoping for a big turnout and to have a robust discussion.”
FirstNet is moving forward with preparing to select public-private partners to deploy and operate the nationwide public safety broadband network.
“We have submissions from potential offerors and the assessment of those offers are being conducted right now,” Algiere said, adding that FirstNet is on track to award the contract in November.