Supporting public safety as they persevere in disasters, coast to coast

November 19, 2024

FirstNet®, Built with AT&T is proud to support the dedicated men and women who confront danger to keep us safe. This has been especially true during this storm and wildfire season, as the public safety community has battled natural disasters from coast to coast.

In critical moments, reliable connectivity is their lifeline, enabling seamless communications, real-time updates, and effective coordination. From truly dedicated coverage and capacity on FirstNet to the resiliency and redundancy offered by AT&T ESInet™, we are supporting first responders by providing layers of connectivity that allow public safety to be there for our communities. 

At the heart of emergency response efforts is the FirstNet Response Operations Group™ (ROG). Led by a dedicated team of former first responders, ROG oversees a dedicated fleet of more than 180 land-based and airborne portable cell sites that are deployed at public safety's direction to help ensure first responders can communicate wherever their mission takes them.

This is in addition to the more than 750 additional assets that are part of the AT&T Network Disaster Recovery fleet and available to public safety. No other provider has a fleet dedicated solely and exclusively to first responders, because no other provider signed up for the government oversight and accountability that comes with being public safety’s network partner.

Wildfires in the West

With wildfires still ravaging the western U.S., firefighters continue to battle flames and coordinate with paramedics, utilities and other public safety agencies around the country. This year alone, public safety has called on FirstNet for emergency wildfire support more than 95 times across states like Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming:

• Park Fire, California: The Park Fire, which lasted from July to September, has gone down in history as the state’s fourth largest wildfire. The expansive terrain made it challenging for Cal Fire to maintain effective communications. As teams from different agencies battled the blaze, ROG deployed a Satellite Cell on Light Truck (SatCOLT) and additional Compact Rapid Deployables™ (CRDs) to supplement the 4 CRDs already owned and managed by Cal Fire. Thanks to this enhanced connectivity, firefighters were able to maintain critical communication throughout the emergency.
• Lee Falls Fire, Oregon: In August, the Lee Falls Fire prompted the evacuation of more than 600 residents in Cherry Grove. Given the proximity to urbanized areas, first responders understood the gravity of the situation, attacking the fire head on. To make sure their communications infrastructure was resilient, ROG quickly deployed a CRD to provide additional connectivity for the Oregon State Fire Marshal and local fire departments.
• “Without FirstNet, our incident commanders would not have been able to communicate vital information on the scene,” said Gert Zoutendijk, Fire Marshal, Oregon State Fire Marshal. “The CRD was a lifesaver when regular cell service was not available, enabling our teams to stay connected with our incident commanders when they needed to the most.”
• Pioneer Fire, Washington: Burning just north of Lake Chelan since June, the Pioneer Fire has impacted nearly 40,000 acres. Due to a lack of road access, FirstNet transported a CRD to the command camp by barge across the lake as well as a miniCRD to another location. A miniCRD, which is the size of two suitcases, can be deployed by a single person within minutes, covering up to half a mile and linking to FirstNet via satellite without relying on commercial power availability.

Each emergency is unique, and FirstNet has developed technologies based on feedback from the public safety community. This is why having diverse, innovative solutions that can adapt to the situation is critical for first responders on the ground. Deployable network assets like SatCOLTs, CRDs, and miniCRDs help keep agencies connected.

Hurricanes in the East

As we’ve all seen over the last month, the Southeast has been hit particularly hard with back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton causing overwhelming devastation. These storms brought extreme wind, tornadoes, historic flooding, landslides, road closures, as well as the loss of commercial power for millions.

The impact of Helene alone was unprecedented. FirstNet partnered with customer agencies of all sizes throughout the Southeast in recovery efforts. Including the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and with more than 220 requests from public safety agencies, it became the largest response in the history of ROG. There were 89 requests in a single day, demonstrating the immense need for support and the critical role FirstNet plays in disaster recovery.

After Helene, Wheeler County, Georgia, power was out for days. Houston County 9-1-1 and Emergency Management responded to provide help to their neighbors, calling on FirstNet for added connectivity. ROG deployed a CRD, helping first responders communicate and coordinate response efforts as the agency set up their emergency operations center before macro service was fully restored.

And beyond ROG deployments, in North Carolina, the N.C. 911 Board, part of the N.C. Department of Information Technology (NCDIT), was able to make sure callers were connected to 9-1-1 through their existing Next Generation 9-1-1 infrastructure provided by AT&T ESInet. The rerouting capability ensured 9-1-1 calls to PSAPs in western North Carolina affected by Helene were answered by PSAPs in non-impacted areas, providing resiliency during a time of uncertainty for residents in the wake of the storm. Thanks to the resiliency and redundancy of this network, NCDIT had no reports of 9-1-1 calls not being delivered.

ROG the Dog: Comfort in Times of Crisis

Extreme events also take a toll on the mental and emotional health of first responders. We’ve seen firsthand how wildfires, hurricanes and other emergencies can affect the people on the frontlines. That’s why ROG the Dog, an animal-assisted therapy program specifically for first responders, provides much-needed comfort and support:

• Noticing a need among the first responders working the Park Fire, Cal Fire requested a visit from Daisy, a goldendoodle and member of the ROG the Dog fleet. Daisy, who is trained specially to provide comfort for first responders, helped boost morale and provided a much-needed lift during the months-long response efforts.
• During the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, ROG the Dog Dolly visited first responders in South Carolina, including some in the City of Greenville to provide comfort to those working to help impacted communities.

Commitment to Connectivity

It’s moments like these that truly showcase the unity and resilience of the public safety community. Emergency services like law enforcement, fire departments, and medical personnel are always providing immediate assistance, conducting search and rescue operations, and delivering essential supplies to keep communities safe. They dedicate their lives to serving others, and we are honored to stand by their side.