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Crew Foreman Clem Celestine used FirstNet following Hurricane Zeta in Metairie, La.
FirstNet Provides Vital Phone Access During Emergencies
Photo by Matthew Timothy
After three hurricanes in two months left wide-spread damage in the Louisiana Division, a priority phone service protecting first responders from commercial congestion helped hundreds of employees restore natural gas service to many customers. The government-mandated First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) is a nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety, implemented and managed by AT&T.
“The FCC authorized AT&T to create a separate first responder network for government, military, police, fire, and utilities,” says Telecommunications Manager Bonita Buchanan and Atmos Energy’s FirstNet administrator. “During emergencies like a flood, tornado, hurricane, ice storm, and other events, there can be congestion on the regular commercial network; people who may be attempting to call family and friends. With FirstNet, Atmos Energy gets priority above most callers.”
FirstNet is like driving in the HOV lane, Buchanan added.
“With FirstNet, we are already always in the HOV lane,” she said. “When an emergency happens, we advise FirstNet that a group of our phone numbers need calls for the next day or two to move out of the HOV lane and onto the reserved express highway, which is an exclusive, invitation-only area where other calls are excluded. During the ‘uplift’ period, emergency business continuity calls have the highest available level of completion.”
“It’s like giving public safety communications the ‘lights and sirens’ treatment,” added Chief Information Officer and Vice President Rich Gius. “When you see or hear an emergency vehicle coming, you get out
of the way, so they can quickly get to those in need. FirstNet follows that same approach, only on the communications highway.”
The night before Hurricane Laura made landfall on Aug. 27, Buchanan connected IT Manager Evelina Broussard with Atmos Energy’s FirstNet liaison. Broussard sent the liaison a list of about 300 employees that would be in the thick of the recovery. Employee smartphones were soon “uplifted” over regular service to the network for 48 hours (which can be extended, if needed).
Having FirstNet’s prioritized cell service helped Louisiana Division leadership coordinate restoration efforts with local leaders and front- line personnel in the aftermath of the hurricane’s destruction. Marketing Vice President Wes Hawley experienced being in FirstNet’s rarefied air from his home in Metairie, La.
“After Hurricane Zeta hit, my wife and I were sitting at the kitchen table,” he said. “She was trying to send text messages and call family members and friends from her personal phone and couldn’t. I was making phone calls and text messaging with ease, communicating back and forth with the Louisiana Division officer group, checking on employees that might lack power or damage issues and possible natural gas emergencies that weren’t getting reported.”
“FirstNet is a key component of our Business Continuity Planning toolset, helping to better serve our customers and keep our communities safer,” Gius concluded. “This dedicated wireless broadband network is vital to the safety of our employees and the more than three million customers they serve throughout the eight states.”