Yesterday was the start of the 4th annual APCO International Public Safety Broadband Summit in Washington, DC. This year’s summit focuses on the latest progress of FirstNet, as well as innovations in public safety mobile applications, cybersecurity, and developments in LTE and broadband technologies. The summit is also timely in that it comes during the annual Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW), which honors the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. It was great to see so many people from all levels of government at today’s summit who are dedicated to the same goal: enhancing communications for our nation’s first responders.
During my keynote presentation, I provided an update on recent FirstNet activities for building the nation’s first public safety broadband network, including our Program Roadmap and the Initial Consultation Package we delivered to all 56 states and territories last week. In addition, I discussed our efforts to prepare the two future Requests for Proposal (RFP’s). One RFP will be for a comprehensive network solution and one RFP for network equipment and services. I explained how FirstNet was conducting market research to better understand the assets that all partners can bring to the table in support of the planning and deployment of a nationwide public safety broadband network.
Conferences like the APCO Broadband Summit are also learning opportunities for the FirstNet team and myself to hear from technology experts, policy leaders, industry partners, wireless service providers, and public safety officials. In today’s technologically-centric environment, where connecting remotely is becoming easier than ever, we enjoy the opportunity to talk face-to-face with both the partners and potential users of the network.
I visited the various exhibits to see new and innovative communications capabilities on display, including a booth from students at Bowie State University who are working with first responders in Prince George’s County, MD, to develop public safety applications. I had the opportunity to meet with Charlie Jacobson, who is a firefighter from New Jersey and founder of FireStop, which is an application that helps fire departments navigate quicker and more effectively as they operate. Attendees at the Summit also learned about an event held this past weekend in DC called a public safety “hackathon,” which brought together software developers from all over the country like Charlie to develop new public safety mobile applications.
These are just a few examples of the type of ingenuity that FirstNet is looking to harness from the public and private sectors as we move forward on a nationwide public safety broadband network. On behalf of the FirstNet team, I would like to recognize our partners at all levels of government during PSRW. They are critical to the success of our organization, as well as the success of the planning, deployment, and operation of the network. Thank you.
-TJ
