More than 150 federal, state and local first responders attended a joint-agency, critical-incident-communications training and First Responder Network demonstration virtually and in-person at Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU), NC March 29. The event was in support of Congress’s vision of a dedicated, interoperable nationwide public safety broadband network that blended both military and civilian authorities.
“This was a far-reaching endeavor,” said Duane Eastmond, MOTSU telecommunications specialist and one of the event organizers. “We had attendees from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Department of Homeland Security – to include the U.S. Coast Guard, DISA, FBI, and ATF – New Hanover Sheriff’s Office, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, North Carolina Marine Control, and the Southport Fire Department.”
In the spring of 2020, MOTSU and Fort Bliss participated in a 60-day FirstNet pilot study helping the Army determine if a large-scale program would improve interoperability and communications between federal and civilian authorities during situations when wireless communications are unavailable or limited. Today, the U.S. Army has identified 72 installations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico to use the technology.
“The public-private partnership between FirstNet Authority and AT&T is important to MOTSU and the Army, as we leverage innovation and cutting-edge commercial technology to meet future operational challenges during times of crisis,” said Col. Chad Blacketer, MOTSU commander. “FirstNet is not only important to the Army, but it’s important to the communities surrounding our installations and is why we held this event,” Blacketer said.
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