Venable partner, and retired Navy Rear Admiral, Jamie Barnett was quoted in the July 16, 2013 edition of TRDaily and the development and deployment of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) public safety network. Admiral Barnett spoke at an event sponsored by the Brookings Institution and focused on how the use of mobile devices is changing public safety.
“I really hope that FirstNet continues down the road on early deployments,” Admiral Barnett said during the event. He added that it was important that FirstNet “gets it right” and praised its “great board.” Admiral Barnett acknowledged much work needs to be done in planning and expressed concern that FirstNet will be underfunded because “maybe there will be a tendency to say we don’t need to harden it so much.” He noted that private partnerships could go a long way to developing to addressing some problems. “The question is will we be successful in launching a truly nationwide network, and will it be interoperable,” Admiral Barnett said, adding, “if it’s not nationwide then it’s not really interoperable because not everybody will be able to talk on it.”
In addition to FirstNet, said things like 911 location accuracy needs to be improved. Pointing to the FCC’s text-to-911 order issued in May, Admiral Barnett said, “now we are on the road to making sure these can be handled to call centers,” adding, “we need to move beyond SMS text.”
“I really hope that FirstNet continues down the road on early deployments,” Admiral Barnett said during the event. He added that it was important that FirstNet “gets it right” and praised its “great board.” Admiral Barnett acknowledged much work needs to be done in planning and expressed concern that FirstNet will be underfunded because “maybe there will be a tendency to say we don’t need to harden it so much.” He noted that private partnerships could go a long way to developing to addressing some problems. “The question is will we be successful in launching a truly nationwide network, and will it be interoperable,” Admiral Barnett said, adding, “if it’s not nationwide then it’s not really interoperable because not everybody will be able to talk on it.”
In addition to FirstNet, said things like 911 location accuracy needs to be improved. Pointing to the FCC’s text-to-911 order issued in May, Admiral Barnett said, “now we are on the road to making sure these can be handled to call centers,” adding, “we need to move beyond SMS text.”