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The FirstNet Team: Bolstering Our Technology and Management Expertise

FirstNet CTO Ali Afrashteh
April 28, 2014

FirstNet today welcomes Ali Afrashteh to our senior management team as Chief Technology Officer, a position that will help advance our efforts to build a nationwide public safety broadband network. In this role, Ali will manage FirstNet’s planning and deployment of technology programs and initiatives and provide expertise on strategic wireless technology and network operational planning.

The FirstNet Team: Opening the Lines of Communication

User Advocacy Executive Assistant Avis Taylor-Ikeji
April 23, 2014

FirstNet was established by Congress to deploy a nationwide broadband network to improve communications for the nation’s emergency responders. Therefore, it goes without saying that communication is essential to everything we do. For instance, FirstNet has designed a nationwide outreach program to increase communications with our partners in the states and territories. And recently, we increased our online communication capabilities by launching the FirstNet.gov website and establishing a Twitter account – @FirstNetGov.

“Planning to Win” in Georgia

2014 Chatham County Hurricane Conference
April 22, 2014

Guest Blog Post by Amanda Hilliard, FirstNet Director of Outreach

Today, I had the opportunity to participate in the Chatham County Hurricane Conference held in Savannah, GA. As hurricane season nears, it was a great to see so many local and state emergency responders working together and with their partners to prepare for the 2014 season. We realize this is a busy time of year for everyone involved, so FirstNet would like to thank the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) for giving us the opportunity to present at two workshops today.

SPOC Spotlight: Maryland Moves Forward on FirstNet Outreach

Ray Lehr, Interoperability Director for the State of Maryland and Maryland Single Point of Contact (SPOC), speaks to a crowd of about 70 first responders at Maryland’s Homeland Security Technology Advancements Training – Central Regional Forum on April 15.
April 17, 2014

Imagine that you are a fire chief, and your team is on the 13th floor of a 26 floor high-rise building that’s on fire – in the middle of night. You send three of your firefighters in a state police helicopter to rappel onto the top of the building so they can advise those trapped inside the building to stay put. They also must try to open up the stairways to let the smoke out. As smoke envelops the site, it is extremely difficult to see. But you know there are two air conditioning units and a six foot antenna – and you hope they can find something safely to land on.

FirstNet Delivers Keynote at Minnesota Interoperability Conference

April 15, 2014

Guest Blog Post by Edward Parkinson, FirstNet Director of Government Affairs

Today, I was honored to provide the keynote address at the Minnesota Public Safety Interoperable Communications Conference. This was the fifth year of the conference, which is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Emergency Communication Networks (ECN). Attendance was excellent - the conference brings together a broad base of public safety and emergency management personnel from across the state.

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