In the latest FirstNet SPOC Spotlight Feature, North Carolina SPOC Allan Sadowski talks to FirstNet about how the state has built a team of experienced public safety leaders to assist in education, outreach, and engagement in planning for the nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN). Additionally, in the near future, NC is planning a Tech Summit and "Hackathon" focusing on bringing first responders and software developers together. You may reach Allan at allan.sadowski@nc.gov for more info.

With one of the nation’s largest presence of the National Guard – including more than 12,000 soldiers and airmen – and several military bases of all branches, North Carolina takes pride in calling itself the nation’s "Most Military Friendly State." The FirstNet state single point of contact (SPOC), Allan Sadowski, shares that sentiment and takes pride in leveraging his diverse military and technical backgrounds to coordinate FirstNet planning in the state.

"Lead or follow, but get the heck out of the way," is one of Allan’s mantras that was on display at North Carolina’s initial consultation meeting back in April. It’s also what’s driving Allan to help North Carolina deliver life-saving technology to first responders in the state.

With a military career that combines experience as a U.S. Air Force Electronics Technician, RADAR Research Officer, Specialized Communications Technology Engineer, and Helicopter Flight Test Engineer, as well as experience with the NC State Highway Patrol as a communication systems engineer, Allan says he has a track record of overcoming complex technical issues.

"My diverse technical background helps me look at problems from multiple angles," Allan tells FirstNet. "I have had to support digital communications under difficult conditions. Communications technologies are not just my professional life – they are also my hobby."

In addition to being the North Carolina SPOC, Allan is also the state’s Director of Infrastructure Planning at North Carolina Office of Information Technology Services. The state has a unique landscape that includes multiple urban areas but is mostly comprised of rural, tribal, wilderness, maritime, urban and park jurisdictions. Allan says this provides an array of communications challenges to public safety in the state.

"Citizens in these areas deserve the same level of public safety services as citizens receive in urban jurisdictions, say Allan. "Another challenge is getting true interoperability, the willingness to share systems and data and the inclusion of non-traditional emergency responders."

Like many states and territories, the emergency response community in North Carolina comprises a wide range of responders who must also communicate with front-line responders on a daily basis. Mutual aid agreements with the large collection of DoD communities makes the military responders a key potential user of the NPSBN, along with emergency management, health care providers and 911 dispatchers operating in the state.

Fellow North Carolina resident Richard Taylor, past president of the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators, and current NASNA representative to the PSAC, discussed potential synergies between Next Generation 911 (NG911) and the NPSBN at several meetings with FirstNet. Allan feels the same way about the two systems.

"We believe that NG911 and FirstNet must work together closely if responders are to better answer the call for help from citizens," said Allan. "We also believe that ultimately a further integrated communications conduit will need to be developed to better ensure responders can communicate back to the public. We are closing the loop so to speak – but also being sensitive to the burden it might bring to PSAPs."

Conducting outreach across a state or territory is a key focus for planning for the network now. Allan has built a team of experienced public safety leaders – including Police Chief (Ret.) Allen Smith, North Carolina Law Enforcement Outreach Coordinator – that can "talk the talk" to assist in education, outreach, and engagement.

Allan shared some of the most important lessons learned and best practices in North Carolina with FirstNet. He’s looking to share them with other State and territories, too.

A key point of emphasis, he says, is "respect for the public safety culture. " He adds, "There are many good reasons that public safety entities are often reluctant adopters of new technology and are wary when ‘outsiders’ visit their community. Being culturally sensitive and culturally aware has paid off as we execute our mission to reach out and educate. Time is also precious and we value every contact moment."

Allan says North Carolina is working to put together two events to bring public safety and software developers together, as they envision public safety using mobile applications in a FirstNet environment.

"Over time I see better collaboration between response entities, as well as quicker and more effective decision making as better information and `intel’ become available to responders and their leadership," he says.

Meantime, as the NPSBN is planned and deployed, public safety will continue to face a number of technological, strategic, tactical, and cultural challenges related to communications. Allan sees the opportunity in these challenges to revolutionize public safety, equipping them with life saving technology, and most importantly – saving lives and property.

"We need to do better for responders and communities – and we can do better," he said. "Over and over I hear folks talk about how their teenager has better communications than responders. Though often true, it’s not the whole story.

"FirstNet is trying to handle the rest of the story."

The FirstNet Consultation Meeting in North Carolina was held in April, 2015, in Raleigh and attended by nearly 90 federal, state, tribal, and local public safety attendees from across the state.