Communications are an essential part of responding to disasters and emergencies. When completed, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will give users and agencies priority access so that they don’t have to compete on commercial networks anymore. FirstNet comes from a 9/11 Commission Report recommendation: to create a nationwide, interoperable public safety communications network that will resolve communication issues that arise when multiple agencies and jurisdictions respond to a disaster. As part of the build out process, FirstNet held regional workshops in May and June of this year to work with states and localities to inform and design the network based on practitioner-driven recommendations from responders on the ground. Most recently, FirstNet issued an RFI (request for information) from mobile application providers who work on public safety applications that deal with big data, data security, an app store, and other technologies. The RFI responses are due January 17, 2014, and the work on a dedicated first responder network will continue throughout the next year.

For more information, please  visit the FirstNet website: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/firstnet. Additionally, please visit FirstResponder.gov and check back at First Responder Communities of Practice for updates.