FirstNet to Begin Consultations With State, Tribal, Territorial and Local Entities Nationwide

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced that the first in a summer-long series of consultations with states, tribes, territories and localities will take place May 15-16.

FirstNet will conduct regional workshops in six regions and will also meet with each state individually during the consultation process. This portion of FirstNet’s outreach is designed to solicit input from attendees to help in the design of a public safety-grade next-generation wireless network that meets the specific communications requirements of police, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel in their respective jurisdictions. The first regional workshop will be a two-day program beginning with a discussion of the changing nature of public safety since 9/11 and the need for placing next-generation technologies into the hands of first responders. It continues with an update on FirstNet progress, an interactive session on network development and multiple facilitated discussions between participants and FirstNet. Also scheduled are breakout sessions for stakeholders, discussions between registrants and FirstNet, breakouts on specific challenges of implementing the public-safety broadband network and group peer-to-peer exchanges.