Valley Regional Fire and Rescue Strengthens Emergency Communications with FirstNet

Valley Regional Fire and Rescue, a department that serves northeastern Pennsylvania with both paid EMS paramedics and volunteer firefighters, has started using the FirstNet dedicated public safety broadband network to improve communication reliability in one of the region's most difficult operational settings.

The department's jurisdiction encompasses major interstate highway corridors — including significant stretches of Interstate 81 and Interstate 80 — a municipal airport, local schools, and proximity to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, placing exceptional demands on communications infrastructure.

"One of the key pieces for Valley Regional Fire is our protection of vital infrastructure. We maintain a large portion of Interstate 81 and Interstate 80 every day. Sometimes it's 100,000 vehicles on a busy holiday weekend," said Fire Chief Brice Dalrymple.

Facility Resilience and Field Connectivity

FirstNet has been integrated into the department's headquarters as an embedded backup communications service, ensuring continuity of operations in the event of local infrastructure failures. "If there is an interruption in key services in the area, like internet access, we're still able to maintain communication with the 9-1-1 center, and MDTs [mobile data terminals] stay up," Dalrymple explained.

In the field, FirstNet connectivity is enabling enhanced situational awareness capabilities, including live camera feeds accessible to supervisors in real time — a development that is directly contributing to improved responder safety during complex incidents.

"We may be able to provide updates or information to the crew, something that they may not be seeing to help them out on a major incident," said EMS Deputy Chief Michael J. McMahon.
New Infrastructure Investment Extends Coverage

In 2025, the department joined Congressman Bob Bresnahan, the FirstNet Authority, and AT&T to mark the commissioning of three new cell sites serving the communities of Drums, Hazleton, and Larksville — extending dedicated first responder coverage across a valley where reliable communications had previously presented challenges.

"Now that we have an additional tower in the valley, communications will be a hundred times faster," said EMS Chief Joe Lomino. "I'd like to thank AT&T and FirstNet for coming out here and investing in our communities."

The investment underscores a broader recognition that communications infrastructure in high-traffic, high-risk jurisdictions is not a secondary consideration but a fundamental operational requirement.
"For emergency services, the FirstNet program is something that we absolutely need," McMahon concluded