FirstNet News
The PSAC Executive Committee (EC) held their annual in-person meeting on Wednesday at FirstNet’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) facility. FirstNet Chief Customer Officer (CCO) Rich Reed and CTO Jeff Bratcher joined them to discuss consultation and outreach updates and the role of the CCO as it relates to the future of the PSAC. The EC and the CCO discussed topics for two soon-to-be announced PSAC task teams, activities of the Early Builders Working Group (EBWG), the Tribal Working Group (TWG), and the new Federal Working Group (FWG). On Thursday and Friday, the TWG also held their semi-annual in-person meeting. Rich Reed discussed tribal input to State Plans and the Governor’s decision. Members discussed tribal outreach strategies for the TWG and FirstNet to employ as State Plans begin to take shape.
FirstNet has now completed 40 State Governance Body Consultation Meetings with a meeting in New York last week. FirstNet consulted with the New York State Interoperable & Emergency Communication Board on Tuesday at the Harriman State Campus in Albany. Discussion addressed the specifics of opting in versus opting out, user fees, and the potential for local jurisdictions that might not be high priority to work proactively with FirstNet to speed deployment or improve coverage in their areas.
FirstNet posted four blog entries this past week: Focusing Federal Consultation Along the Southwest Border; National Preparedness Month 2016; The Content Corner: Using Social Media to Promote, Enhance Preparedness for the Public We Serve; and FirstNet to provide reliability and security when disaster strikes, the latest in the series 10 ways FirstNet will help public safety save lives and secure communities. All blog posts are available on the FirstNet blog at: www.firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog.
On Thursday, FirstNet attended the first Ohio 9-1-1 Symposium in Columbus, which was hosted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. FirstNet conducted a presentation entitled “FirstNet & NG9-1-1: The Future of End-To-End Public Safety Communications” alongside the Ohio FirstNet team.
FirstNet was also in the Dakotas last week talking with emergency managers from across the two states at the concurrent North Dakota Emergency Managers Association Conference in Bismarck and South Dakota Emergency Managers Association Conference in Aberdeen, as well as attending a meeting of the North Dakota Association of Chiefs of Police. Together with the states’ SPOC teams, FirstNet presented on the mission and progress of FirstNet, how FirstNet will serve public safety, and how agencies can participate in network planning today.
This week, FirstNet will be participating in the National Association of State EMS Officials Fall 2016 Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico; the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors Annual Conference in Austin, Texas; an East Central Pennsylvania Task Force Regional Meeting; the 2016 Dakota 9-1-1 Conference in Spearfish, South Dakota; the California EMS Administrators Conference in San Diego; the Competitive Carriers Association Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington; State Governance Body Meetings in Indianapolis, Indiana and Austin, Texas; the Illinois State Ambulance Association Conference in Peoria; the Michigan Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Fall Conference in Tustin; the Pennsylvania EMS Conference in Lancaster; the Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference in Chicago; a Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs meeting in Richmond; the Next Generation 9-1-1 Roundtable in Baltimore, Maryland; a Utah Tribal Leaders Association Meeting in Orem; the International City/County Management Association 102nd Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri; a GETS/WPS Team Forum in Falls Church, Virginia; Emergency Communications Preparedness Center Steering Committee Meeting in Arlington, Virginia; and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Public Meetings in Bismarck (North Dakota), Cheyenne (Wyoming), Denver (Colorado), and Pierre (South Dakota).
Mark your calendars! The Fall 2016 SPOC Meeting has been scheduled for November 16-17, 2016 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix-Scottsdale in Phoenix, Arizona. Additional details are forthcoming.
News from the PSAC, States and Territories
The EBWG is holding its monthly teleconference this Wednesday, September 21 from 3:00pm-4:00pm ET.
Media Watch
*The information provided is copied as-is from the media outlet source and is not edited by FirstNet. Links to non-Federal Government websites do not constitute endorsement of any product, service, organization, company, information provider, or content. Clicking on non-Department of Commerce hyperlinks will direct you to websites that are not under the Government’s control.
Journal of Emergency Medical Services 9/13: How to Be Ready for FirstNet When FirstNet Is Ready for Us
http://www.jems.com/articles/2016/09/how-to-be-ready-for-firstnet-when-firstnet-is-ready-for-us.html
Ramping up to be FirstNet ready certainly sounds like a good idea, but how and when should fire departments begin making investments in the technology that will be able to leverage FirstNet? Mesa Fire/Medical Department has already started to lay the groundwork to be ready for FirstNet when FirstNet is ready for us. By taking advantage of opportunities in our ongoing cycle replacement of connected devices and proactively working with the City of Mesa’s Information Technology Department well ahead of any political or departmental mandates, we have already purchased and installed some of the hardware needed to utilize FirstNet on our front-line fire apparatus.
Cal State Long Beach 9/13: Creating Connections: EMER Professor Margaret Muhr
As a liaison, Muhr travels extensively throughout Native American reservations, informing tribes about the FirstNet program and listening to their issues and concerns in terms of how to use the new system.
Web and Social Media
FirstNet’s social media presence grew at the normal rate this week. Twitter gained more than 40 new followers, now at 4,206. Facebook has 422 followers. LinkedIn now has 1,682 followers. YouTube has 329 subscribers.
Do you have something you want to feature in the weekly update, such as a conference date, personnel announcement, or news article showcasing the work of your organization? Please send it to Yancy Edwards at yancy.edwards.ctr@firstnet.gov for possible inclusion in an upcoming update.