FirstNet Flying COW Takes First Flight to Help Santa Clara County Sheriff Search & Rescue Stay Mission-Ready

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Measure twice, cut once. These are words to live by, especially for first responders. In my 45 years in public safety, trainings have been an essential element to helping ensure each mission is successful. And that's why integrating FirstNet into training exercises is not only helping agencies improve their communications, but it's also another way that public safety's network platform is working to continuously meet first responders' needs.

One way we're helping public safety to stay connected is with a growing fleet of FirstNet dedicated portable cell sites—available at no additional charge for emergencies and planned events like training exercises and drills. This fleet now includes 3 FirstNet Flying COWs™—and they just took their inaugural flight for public safety with the Santa Clara County Sheriff Search and Rescue exercise drill. Operating in a remote, mountainous region, connectivity has historically been a challenge. But with these innovative tools, responders in the field received coverage they haven't had previously.

When public safety responds to an emergency, we are at their side. And as public safety's communications platform, by collaborating with agencies during training exercises and drills, just like in Santa Clara County, we are planning with agencies before a large-scale event happens. It's just one way we're helping them stay mission-ready.

Working alongside first responders, we're building a future that's only limited by our imaginations to develop. It's a very exciting time for public safety communications, and I look forward to watching it unfold.

This blog is written by Mike Bostic, director, strategy and policy, FirstNet Program at AT&T. For related video visit his page.