Priority and Preemption
Every October, HalloWeekends at Cedar Point amusement park brings an influx of tourists to Sandusky, Ohio — sometimes tripling the city’s population.
When the Derby Fire blazed in a remote part of Colorado, with minimal cell infrastructure in place, the Gypsum Fire Protection District linked a low earth orbit satellite to a FirstNet Cell Booster Pro. The connection allowed staff and mutual aid partners to track their team members’ locations even in the most inaccessible corners of the Rockies.
Responsible for patrolling a large section of Massachusetts's coastline, the Marblehead Harbormaster Department needs reliable communications on the water. Since 2022, the agency has used FirstNet to stay connected during day-to-day incidents and major events like America250. While on the department’s new patrol boat, the team’s FirstNet devices help keep the mobile command post connected to shore-based agencies from Salem to Boston.
Rapid City-Pennington County Emergency Management in South Dakota relies on FirstNet devices and deployables to maintain coverage across the urban and rural areas in their county. From large events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to search-and-rescue efforts in remote parts of the county, FirstNet helps the small team respond to emergencies.
Senior Public Safety Advisor Charles Hardnett is joined by Dr. David Rodgers and Adhitya Balaji to discuss how Indiana University’s Intra-Collegiate Emergency Medical Service prepared for historic attendance levels during the 2025-2026 football season. Learn more about how Indiana University partnered with the FirstNet Authority to improve coverage during events and optimize existing technology.
As host to the most World Cup games in the United States, public safety officials in Dallas, Texas, had a significant amount of preparation to do. With Fourth of July festivities and potential hurricane evacuations also on the horizon, local leaders worked with FirstNet and other commercial carriers to ensure they had the connectivity and interoperability needed to communicate with local, state, federal, and international partners.
The 2026 World Cup will create unprecedented operational demands on the host city communities especially Arlington, Texas and the surrounding area. Emergency Management Administrator for the City of Arlington, Irish Hancock shares his three tips for how to prepare for the world's biggest sporting event.
The Farmville Police Department protects a Virginia town that sits along U.S. 460 and U.S. 15, drawing steady traffic from Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Richmond. With local universities and major events bringing visitors to the town year-round, the department relies on FirstNet for reliable communications. The network is strengthening officer safety, operational readiness, and the department’s ability to serve a rapidly changing community.
The FirstNet Operations Manual is a comprehensive, user-friendly reference designed for all disciplines of public safety — including emergency management, law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and 9-1-1/emergency communications. The manual was developed by experts in FirstNet solutions and operations to provide public safety professionals with the knowledge, tools, and resources to use FirstNet effectively in different situations. Get your questions answered in our new resource for public safety.
In Corning, New York, first responders and local government agencies use FirstNet to enhance public safety and connectivity across city departments.
In Corning, New York, local leaders are finding new ways to enhance public safety and improve communications across city departments with FirstNet. From real-time body camera streaming to improved data access in emergency vehicles, FirstNet is transforming how the city delivers public safety services while saving money and expanding coverage.
FirstNet provides first responders with reliable and secure communications. The Clark County Fire Department in Las Vegas, Nevada relies on FirstNet for routine service calls, as well as major events such as the Big Game, the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, and the Electric Daisy Carnival.
At the Electric Daisy Carnival music festival near Las Vegas, a combination of FirstNet, innovative technologies, and comprehensive planning kept EMS operational in a challenging environment. Cody Snow, president of Prevent Medical Solutions, a mobile medical system that specializes in event staffing, talked about solutions they use to support communications during these events.
Volunteer firefighters are the heart of our nation’s fire services community. Volunteer agencies are often smaller, rural, and have fewer resources. FirstNet offers several ways that help volunteer agencies level the playing field, including the Toms River Fire Department in New Jersey and the San Marcos Pass Volunteer Fire Department in California.
Since its creation, Prevent Medical Solutions has protected more than two million people at events ranging from marathons to large music festivals. Cody Snow, President of Prevent Medical Solutions, discusses how FirstNet deployables, push-to-talk technology, and priority and preemption help keep his team of medical and safety professionals connected and communicating.
Maine is undertaking a statewide project to install FirstNet in all its ambulances — to keep them connected and communicating wherever the call takes them. Integrating FirstNet into ambulances improves pre-hospital care and safety for patients, responders, vehicles, and roads.
With 5G, first responders will have access to more data in near real time. And through a series of strategic investments, the FirstNet Authority is working to bring these capabilities to public safety.
Discover why 5G is essential to the future of emergency response and how FirstNet’s evolution makes this a reality.
The FirstNet Authority is investing $6.3 billion to enhance 5G capabilities on FirstNet. This is a major strategic investment in the future of public safety communications. 5G on FirstNet will generate faster speeds, enhance the quality of service for first responders, and drive innovations in mission critical services.
Steve Devine, APCO Chief Technology Officer, talks about the biggest trends in 9-1-1 technology, including the transition from analog to digital systems with Next Generation 9-1-1. Steve also discussed the role of public safety broadband in the emergency communications center and the issues APCO is prioritizing to support telecommunicators.
