This post first appeared on the AT&T blog.
By SCOTT AGNEW, President – FirstNet, AT&T
As engines roar down The Strip for the Las Vegas Race, there’s another high-performance team working around-the-clock – public safety. Just like an elite pit crew springs into action to keep race cars performing at their peak, FirstNet®, Built with AT&T moves swiftly behind the scenes to ensure critical communications for public safety stay race-week ready.
Always-On, No Matter the Crowd
As public safety’s network partner, we have a commitment unlike any other to deliver for America’s first responders. This is why Clark County Fire, which serves Nevada’s most populated county and is responsible for fire and emergency response along The Strip, the City of Las Vegas and numerous other local, state and federal agencies rely on FirstNet and its seamless, resilient communications to effectively coordinate their critical operations throughout every second of the race.
“Making sure that Las Vegas is one of the safest places to attend a major sporting event, or any event, is a top priority for us. Everyone wants these events to be successful, to run smoothly, and to ensure our tourism industry continues to thrive so that visitors leave with a great experience. FirstNet gives us the connectivity and reliability we need to keep our community and our visitors safe.” — Deputy Chief Brian O’Neal, Clark County Fire
Given the high volume of users sharing content and live streaming at large events, commercial networks such as T-Mobile are not designed to meet the unique requirements of public safety communications. That’s where FirstNet steps in. We’ve blanketed the Las Vegas area with Band 14 spectrum, so public safety has a dedicated lane of connectivity when needed. FirstNet is designed specifically for America’s first responders and ensures their communications remain fast and reliable, with always-on priority and preemption across 5G and LTE, even when everyone else is ‘red flagged.’
The Elite Pit Crew for Public Safety
The FirstNet Response Operations Group™ (ROG) is a critical member of public safety’s pit crew. Led by former first responders, FirstNet ROG deploys dedicated portable network assets with the same focus and precision you’d expect from the best in motorsports. FirstNet personnel are embedded within the Clark County Multi-Agency Coordination Center, collaborating directly with a broad coalition of local, state and federal agencies to maintain seamless, real-time coordination with ground teams to mitigate “what-ifs.” FirstNet ROG has dedicated deployable assets, such as SatCOLTs (Satellite Cells on Light Trucks), CRDs (Compact Rapid Deployables) and miniCRDs, strategically positioned around the 3.8-mile track.
“The increased partnership and relationship building that has carried over from our event planning into our unplanned disaster response is a direct result of our preparedness efforts with FirstNet.We’ve been able to deploy field assets to support response to wildfires, flash floods, avalanches and long-term power outages. They’re typically deployed and on air within 6 to 8 hours, exceeding their 14-hour time frame, and they’re available all the time, even on no notice. When true emergencies pop up that we can’t predict, FirstNet is always there, willing to help, and continues to exceed our expectations.” — Deputy Chief Brian O’Neal, Clark County Fire
What further sets FirstNet apart is its unwavering accountability to public safety and the federal government. FirstNet is the only network with a dedicated fleet of 190+ portable assets reserved solely for public safety.These assets include three innovative Flying COWs® (Cell on Wings), drone-based cell sites that can bring connectivity to the skies. The fleet is available 24/7, at no additional charge, and can be deployed within a 14-hour (or less) delivery objective following the initial emergency request. That’s in addition to 750+ AT&T assets nationwide. Compare that to commercial carriers like T-Mobile, which claims to support public safety when it matters most, but reveals in fine print that their coverage “may be impacted by emergencies.” It’s clear, they just can’t cut it.
FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
