12 major public safety organizations unite in support of a permanent, single unified public safety-dedicated broadband network
Alexandria, VA – Yesterday APCO International joined leaders from the nation’s most prominent public safety organizations to urge lawmakers on Capitol Hill to swiftly and permanently reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) before its legislative sunset in February 2027. Reauthorization is urgently needed to ensure that first responders maintain uninterrupted access to the FirstNet communications network, the nation’s broadband network dedicated for public safety use.
“We appreciated the opportunity to have a positive and productive dialogue with members of Congress and their staff,” said Mel Maier, CEO and executive director of APCO. “Many APCO members – including police, fire and EMS – rely on FirstNet to protect their communities and save lives. We emphasized the importance of permanently reauthorizing FirstNet and assuring first responders of continued access to the communications network they depend upon.”
The organizations joining today were APCO International, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (MFCA), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO), the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA).
Fire Chief John S. Butler remarked, “The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association wholeheartedly supports the permanent reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority. This is a matter of mission-critical importance for our nation’s first responders, providing reliable interdisciplinary, inclusive communication and interoperability needed to operate effectively and safely. The lessons of 9/11 proved the need for a unified network, and ensuring its permanence is essential to meeting the public safety needs of today and tomorrow.”
“Congress must act soon to ensure there are proper investments into Next Generation 9-1-1 in order to keep the public and our first responders safe,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, MCSA president. “In addition to proper funding, cybersecurity and interoperability are key to making the country’s public safety telecommunications modern and resilient. We ask that Congress recognize the critical upgrades needed for our aging 9-1-1 systems.”
“The federal FirstNet Authority was created to provide both interoperability and improved operability for local first responders. Time and again, the FirstNet network has proved its value by supporting lifesaving communications during major disasters, national tragedies, and even daily fire and EMS calls. We urge Congress to act now and preserve the federal FirstNet Authority by removing the 2027 sunset date,” said Fire Chief Steven A. Locke, Fire Chief of the South Burlington (VT) Fire Department and First Vice President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
“FirstNet, by providing priority and preemption to first responders on their own spectrum, has been a game changer in volunteer firefighter communications. The National Volunteer Fire Council welcomes this opportunity to encourage Congress to preserve FirstNet beyond its February 2027 sunset date.” Steve Hirsch, chairman, National Volunteer Fire Council.
“FirstNet is a lifeline in hometown communities, enabling police, fire and EMS to communicate seamlessly and respond faster when every second counts. Reauthorization of FirstNet by Congress will ensure uninterrupted, interoperable communications for public safety across agencies and jurisdictions, letting first responders work together as intended and putting public safety first,” said Richard Carrizzo, president, PSBTA.
The nationwide FirstNet network was built specifically for public safety and provides specialized features, such as always-on priority access and preemption for first responders to help them communicate during emergencies. Public safety has joined in support of making permanent the single unified public safety-dedicated broadband network under the continued oversight of the independent FirstNet Authority Board. This approach will provide the public safety community with certainty and is essential to meeting the nation’s current and future public safety communications needs.
Yesterday’s action builds on the historic collaboration among public safety organizations that led to the creation of FirstNet. The tragic events of 9/11 uncovered failures in the communications systems used by first responders, including difficulty communicating between public safety agencies. In 2009, public safety organizations joined together to advocate for the creation of a single nationwide broadband network exclusively for first responders. In 2012, Congress passed legislation to create such a network and the independent FirstNet Authority to oversee it. This initiative, implemented in consultation with the public safety community, is a public policy success with more than seven million connections and approximately 30,000 agencies now served by FirstNet.
APCO International® (www.apcointl.org)
APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals and supports the largest U.S. membership base of any public safety association. It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole – by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach.
