Broadband  |  2023-07-25

Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office Transforms First Responder Communications with FirstNet

Curated by: Gert Jan Wolf - Editor-in Chief for The Critical Communications Review

Winnebago County is connecting its Sheriff’s Office and all county departments to FirstNet.

With this tech advancement, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office can equip its deputies with new technological capabilities and reliable access to critical information in the field and in the station to better serve those who live and work in the county.

Winnebago County has officially adopted FirstNet for its county communications to help provide better services and public safety. All county departments have adopted FirstNet, including the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.

“The high level of availability provided by FirstNet allows our deputies to stay connected whenever needed across the county,” said Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz. “Whether we are deployed for events like the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, responding to emergencies, or working through winter storms, FirstNet allows us to have the priority and preemption that keeps our deputies and communities safer.”

Sheriff deputies in Winnebago County are using FirstNet on their department-issued smartphones and in their vehicles, routers and frontline apparatuses. FirstNet is designed to improve communications across public safety entities nationwide, allowing first responders to communicate with one another easily and quickly during everyday situations, big events or emergencies. This is integral to solving the common roadblock that communications issues have posed in past public safety responses.