Big news broke over the holidays: All 50 states, D.C., and two U.S. territories have officially "opted in" to FirstNet to build a wireless broadband network exclusively for the nation's first responders.
Three other U.S. territories, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, have until March 12 to make their decision.
The IAFC has been a fierce supporter of FirstNet since its inception. Once built, emergency responders for the first time will with the first nationwide, high-speed, broadband network dedicated to public safety. It will also create innovative opportunities for EMS and the way we integrate into the healthcare system.
In its December 29 announcement, FirstNet quoted IAFC Treasurer Richard Carrizzo:
This is a day that many of us in the fire service have been looking forward to for a long time. Not only will this network remedy current communications challenges, but it will also usher in a wave of innovation for public safety and allow us to communicate unthrottled with responders from other agencies, districts, regions, tribes and states.
Read the full news release to learn more about key FirstNet milestones and activities planned for 2018.