CREJ

July 2021 — Property Management Quarterly — Page 21 www.crej.com Tech W e’ve got some great news for property managers across the U.S.: There’s a new way to attend to and improve on-site life safe- ty, an ever-present priority. How exactly? There are now emergency phone providers that carry FirstNet Ready phones for your property. At a glance, this means in times of need, tenants can get access to an exclusive, highly secure and inno- vative public-safety communica- tions platform for a more reliable response. n What is FirstNet? FirstNet is the only nationwide high-speed broad- band communications platform built with and for first respond- ers. The network grew out of the devastating losses from the terror- ist attacks of 9/11, which exposed glaring weaknesses in nationwide communications systems. It allows first responders and those who support them to focus on the mis- sion without worrying about their service. FirstNet is built for public-safety personnel use on certified devices, but it benefits us all. During emer- gencies and large events, heavy public use leads to overloaded net- works, resulting in those networks becoming inaccessible for some. The existing system was failing our first responders. With FirstNet, public safety gets a “fast lane” that provides increased bandwidth and security for all public-safety com- munication, which in turn can help make us all safer. n How can access to FirstNet improve emergency response on your property? FirstNet offers priority access to callers. During emergen- cies, first respond- ers need to be able to communicate without delay. It is vital for police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders to have priority and pre- emption for their daily needs. This is why FirstNet’s wireless broad- band network is only available on approved devices to public-safety personnel and those who support them. The network creates a more reli- able and interoperable network. Before FirstNet, first respond- ers relied on more than 10,000 separate radio networks. These networks often run into incompat- ibility issues during emergencies, creating confusion and delay when they are needed most. Now, they have access to a single interoper- able Long-Term Evolution network, dedicated solely to public-safety communications. FirstNet also provides readily available capacity. Emergencies aren’t the only times when pub- lic safety needs capacity to com- municate and send data. Planned events like concerts, festivals and sporting events draw crowds to a single location, making it difficult for public safety to get the robust network capacity they need to do their jobs. Network issues are also a common occurrence during natural disasters. Since FirstNet is a dedicated core that is prioritized in emergency situations, this will combat these issues, providing access to help for those who need it most. It provides the needed bandwidth to coordinate public- safety resources and respond to any incident. The network connects and helps protect first responders in rural America. Of course, emergencies can (and do) happen anywhere, not just in high-population areas. The network reaches locations where coverage is often spotty or difficult by using all AT&T LTE spectrum bands and a special lane of con- nectivity called Band 14 – nation- wide, high-quality spectrum specif- ically set aside for FirstNet. During an emergency, this band, or lane, can be cleared and locked just for subscribers. It is also bringing more reliable communications to rural communities across the country, covering over 2.71 million square miles nationwide and growing. In a nutshell, all of this allows emergency dispatchers to get more information quickly, helping them make faster decisions, improving life safety on your property. n Which properties are good candidates for emergency phones utilizing FirstNet? FirstNet is not required for your emergency phones to meet code; it’s simply an option for your property to be Set a new precedent for asset life-safety standards Allie Lewis Ludlum Senior digital marketing specialist, Kings III Emergency Communications FirstNet is a dedicated network built for public-safety personnel, which assets can now access with certified devices. Please see Ludlum, Page 31