FirstNet System Ready To Assist First Responders With Dedicated Emergency Line
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- High voltage towers doing double duty as cellphone towers is not an uncommon sight to see.
Only these are part of the FirstNet system, created by Congress to act as a dedicated emergency line for first responders.
"We were worried about first responders not having interoperability, the ability to communicate," Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger said.
Cellphone service for first responders is critical because in disasters people can tie up normal service.
"Everybody's taking pictures, sending emails, Facebook," John Dulina, of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, said. "So this will allow us to come in, and we can actually use FirstNet for public safety response. We have some bandwidth and can do communication by phone."
Sometimes nature takes out all communication. This leaves first responders and residents vulnerable in a communication blackout.
The FirstNet System now has a large fleet of portable cellphone antennas, operated by AT&T in a joint public-private relationship.
"It gives us the ability to step up something really quickly and provide coverage for those first responders who are trying to fight fires or search for missing people," Brian Harrison, an AT&T technician, said.
When the flash flood hit in Ellicott City last year, the mobile-first net system was brought in.
"It really improved coverage, that was down in a low section, so it really worked well," Dulina said.
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