First Responders
A hearing of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications recently examined the status of emergency communication networks for first responders.
Chaired by U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY), the committee reviewed communications issues observed in the wake of acts of... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) faces various challenges in implementing its public safety broadband network, according to a recent review conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO was tasked by Congress to asses FirstNet’s efforts to establish the... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) gathered together first responders and public safety professionals earlier this month for a summit focused on flood resiliency.
It was the third annual gathering of the National Geospatial Preparedness Summit (NGPS). It... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T recently launched a developer program aimed at encouraging public safety innovation to equip first responders with state-of-the-art communication tools.
FirstNet said the initiative would also bring public safety professionals closer to... Read More »
A group of Latin American and Caribbean first responders recently participated in an emergency response training event involving chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals held at the Spanish National NBC Defense School in Madrid, Spain.
Developed by the Organization for the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations at Charleston Seaport as well as local, state, federal law enforcement and emergency services agencies recently participated in a training session aboard the Carnival Ecstasy cruise ship.
The training session, led by CBP,... Read More »
A joint project between private, academic and military interests has the potential to make screening and treating populations for infectious diseases easier and safer.
The $11.7 million multi-year project, to create a new universal surveillance platform for infectious disease outbreaks, will be... Read More »
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Tucson Office of Field Operations recently hosted a two-day conference for law enforcement personnel on the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Held at the headquarters of the Tucson Police Department, the event featured... Read More »
The recent active shooter attack in Las Vegas serves as a reminder of the ever-present threats facing the United States and the importance of such events as New York’s Excelsior Challenge.
Modeled after other real-world incidents that have recently occurred in Orlando, London, Paris, and... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) recently delivered official notice of State Plans to governors regarding the nationwide broadband network for public safety personnel.
Governors have until Dec. 28 to choose to either accept the FirstNet/AT&T plan to deploy the network or begin... Read More »
A plan to protect subways in the event of a chemical or biological attack is ready to be put into place and implemented, scientists say.
Mark Tucker, engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, is leading a project to study how to decontaminate chemical and biological weapons attacks, such as... Read More »
Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee recently sent a public letter to Comtech President and CEO Fred Kornberg, requesting a briefing regarding reports that company outages have prevented people from connecting with 911 operators.
The letter was sent by U.S. Reps. Frank... Read More »
A bill that gives the children of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS workers the maximum Pell grant authorized by federal law was recently advanced by the U.S. Senate.
The legislation, titled the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Bob... Read More »
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced that the state would partner with FirstNet and AT&T to establish a wireless broadband network, including modernized devices, apps, and tools, to enhance communication between the state’s first responders.
"The safety and security of Texas... Read More »
The Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) recently approved its FY2018 budget of $73.5 million, which will provide a focus on continued deployment, operation, and oversight of its nationwide public safety broadband network.
The budget also includes provisions for public... Read More »
Sandia National Laboratories recently developed a software application for mobile and traditional computing devices analyze gamma radiation data collected at the scene of an emergency involving radiation.
Sandia’s InterSpec team includes software developer and physicist Will Johnson and... Read More »
Since its rollout in early July, a total of 20 U.S. states and territories have decided to opt-in to the AT&T-First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) nationwide public safety broadband network.
The interoperable communications system allows emergency response personnel to securely and... Read More »
Federal authorities are warning potential donors for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts to be on the lookout for scammers.
The call comes from multiple branches of the federal government, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) sending warnings... Read More »
Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) recently announced that the state of Kansas will become the 14th state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Motorola Solutions recently announced its next-generation of mission-critical, broadband-based solutions for first responders to use in public safety scenarios at the 2017 Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) show in Denver, Colorado.
According to Bruce Brda, executive... Read More »
As dangerous opioids like fentanyl continue to be an increasing issue for law enforcement, Smiths Detection, Inc. (SDI) recently announced that it has adapted three of its technologies in order to detect and identify fentanyl to limit officers’ exposure to the drug on duty.
Unlike more common... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently began working closely with local first responders to test new technologies, and the New York Police Department (NYPD) has benefited.
The directorate’s First Responder Group (FRG) recently engaged in several... Read More »
The U.S. Senate advanced legislation Wednesday that would reauthorize grant programs that provide funds for training, equipment and staffing to fire and emergency services personnel.
The bill, co-sponsored by John McCain (R-AZ), Jon Tester (D-MT), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tom Carper (D-DE),... Read More »
Gov. Susana Martinez (R-NM) recently announced that New Mexico will become the eighth state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Gov. Jim Justice (D-WV) recently announced that West Virginia will become the seventh state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017 was advanced by the House Homeland Security Committee this week in effort to coordinate preparations for terrorist attacks between first responders.
The bill targets first responders at all levels--federal, state and local--by... Read More »
FirstNet’s deployment of an interoperable National Public Safety Broadband Network for first responders is an unprecedented undertaking, CEO Michael Poth testified last week on Capitol Hill.
“Every step forward presents new challenges and requires identification of innovative solutions,”... Read More »
Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) recently announced that New Jersey will become the sixth state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement, FirstNet... Read More »
A bill that would require states that receive federal funds for law enforcement programs to properly document all relevant details surrounding an officer-related shooting that result in the death of a civilian was recently introduced to the Senate by U.S. Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Chuck Grassley... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), which is charged with establishing a nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders, should more fully address the concerns voiced by tribal stakeholders and proactively develop a long-term staffing plan as the public-safety project... Read More »
More than 300 public safety professionals representing 20 African nations convened in Khartoum, Sudan for an educational event hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where participants trained in various aspects of response operations, radiological hazards, and emergency public... Read More »
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) recently announced that the state of Iowa would become the fifth state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
The states of Kentucky and Arkansas recently announced that they will become the third and fourth states, respectively, to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Gov. Matthew Mead (R-WY) recently announced that Wyoming will be the second state in America to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network for first responders, which is being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Both Republican and Democrat members of the House appeared poised during a Wednesday hearing to reauthorize key FEMA programs providing matching grants for local firefighters, though the level of funding is still up in the air.
Members of both parties appeared convinced the grants, known as the... Read More »
