City of San Jose Joins FirstNet to Strengthen Emergency Response

The City of San José reportedly is connecting its first responders and key personnel to FirstNet – America’s dedicated public safety communications platform. This move reflects San José’s dedication to using advanced technologies to increase the safety and wellbeing of those that live, work and visit the city, the city said.

FirstNet is designed to improve communications across public safety entities nationwide. It gives first responders the reliable, unthrottled connectivity they need to share critical information, communicate and coordinate during day-to-day situations, large events and emergencies. Depending on the situation, first responders may rely on a broad ecosystem of partners behind the scene to help coordinate their complex response to keep the public safe. That’s why San José is equipping both its first responders and those critical to their response with FirstNet.

To align with the City’s Emergency Action Plan, agencies subscribing to FirstNet include:

• San José Police Department
• San José Fire Department
• Office of Emergency Management
• Office of the City Manager
• San José Environmental Services
• San José Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services
• San José International Airport
• Office of Civic Innovation
• Public Works
• Transportation

“Implementing FirstNet at full scale across the City is key to helping us create a new standard for public safety,” said Sam Liccardo, Mayor of San José. “We believe this is a model for cities across the country to ensure those charged with maintaining the safety of our residents and communities have the tools they need to stay connected during disasters and emergencies.”

“Outdated and unreliable communications have slowed down our public safety response for far too long. In an industry where every second matters, it’s about time that we change the face of public safety communications, and I’m proud to see San José lead the way with FirstNet,” said Ray Riordan, Director of the San José Office of Emergency Management. “We can’t predict when the next emergency will strike, but with FirstNet, we can be better prepared to respond, recover and keep our people safe.”