Bellevue, Wash. — The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN) are receiving national recognition for their leadership in improving emergency communications across the state.
The First Responder Network Authority presented both agencies with its Patriot Award Tuesday during a ceremony at the 5×5 Public Safety Innovation Summit in Bellevue, Washington. The award honors public safety leaders who are using FirstNet, the nation’s dedicated broadband network for first responders, to improve how emergency agencies communicate—especially during major incidents.
“Public safety is about people, and people need to be able to reach each other in a crisis,” said Commissioner Jeff Long of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. “Thanks to the hard work of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network, our state and our first responders have a stronger, smarter way to stay connected when it matters most. This award reflects years of planning, training and teamwork. It’s about making sure help can get where it’s needed and that no call for help ever goes unheard.”
The Tennessee Highway Patrol and TACN were recognized for their innovative use of FirstNet following the March 2020 tornado outbreak, which destroyed homes, businesses and key infrastructure, including a public safety radio tower. During the recovery, the state used FirstNet’s priority access, push-to-talk capabilities, deployable assets and broadband devices to maintain communications while traditional systems were offline.
More recently, the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network played a key role in the response to historic and dangerous flooding during Hurricane Helene. When traditional systems were overwhelmed, TACN helped keep rescuers connected in East Tennessee. That included helping locate stranded members of the Morristown Rescue Squad and Morristown Fire Department, who were cut off during swift water operations. Their story was featured on the state’s official YouTube channel, SafetyTN, as part of a spotlight on TACN’s lifesaving role in the flood response.
Watch the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
“This was a real test of our ability to adapt,” said Colonel Matt Perry, commanding officer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “FirstNet gave us the tools we needed to stay connected in the field, coordinate damage assessments and continue serving communities when our normal systems were disrupted.”
Since that event, both agencies have expanded their use of FirstNet as a complement to the state’s land mobile radio system, adding redundancy and flexibility to day-to-day operations.
“Technology changes fast, and so do the demands on public safety,” said Jeff Gray, director of the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network. “FirstNet helps fill the gaps when traditional radio systems are overloaded or compromised. It’s one more way we’re keeping officers, troopers, medics and firefighters connected across Tennessee.”
FirstNet is the only nationwide broadband network built specifically for public safety. It offers priority and preemption for first responders, ensuring they can communicate even during large-scale emergencies when commercial networks may be congested.
“Being an early adopter of this technology shows Tennessee’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve,” Long said. “We’re proud to be among the national leaders when it comes to building a smarter, more resilient communications system for public safety.”