External Affairs Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Guthlein (401) 462-7121 thomas.guthlein@ema.ri.gov
State of Rhode Island Accepts FirstNet/AT&T State Plan
December 20, 2017, Cranston, RI – The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency announced the State's decision today to accept the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state's public safety community. FirstNet will bring advanced technologies that will greatly improve wireless broadband communications coverage and reliability for first responders in the State of Rhode Island, and help first responders save lives and protect communities.
Under the leadership of Peter Gaynor, Director, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) as the State's designated entity, the public safety community has been involved in the development and planning FirstNet project since its inception in 2012.
"The safety of Rhode Island first responders is of the utmost importance – and a state-of-the-art interoperable communications is a major component of that," said Peter Gaynor. After carefully examining the findings, we concluded and made the recommendation to the Governor, that the plan put forth by FirstNet and its partner AT&T offered the lowest risk, highest value option for Rhode Island first responders."
RIEMA and the broader public safety community will work with FirstNet and AT&T to assure that the network is built to the meet the needs of Rhode Island's first responders.
To find out what FirstNet means to the nation's first responders, see the website at www.firstnet.com. To date, 40 states have announced their intention to opt into the FirstNet nationwide broadband network dedicated to public safety.
For further information about FirstNet in Rhode Island, contact Tom Guthlein, Single-Point-Of-Contact (SPOC) for the State at 401-462-7121 or thomase.guthlein@ema.ri.gov.
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