CINCINNATI — It's never a second thought about cellphone calls reaching the person on the other end. But if first responders have that fear it could be life or death.
"With our line of work time is of the essence," Chief of Woodlawn Fire Department Amos Johnson expressed.
This independent cell service, First Net, was born after a day that shook the world.
"Over the years, especially post 9-11, we've seen a tremendous reliance of public safety folks rely on having that direct connection to the internet and having cellular connectivity," Director of Communication for Hamilton County Communications Center Andrew Knapp shared.
How does First Net work? It's an app on first responders phones' that turns off their regular service cuing the prioritized cell service to activate.
"It actually has its own radio spectrum frequency that allows us to operate independently from the public," Knapp explained.
But its not just phones, Knapp said every device, like laptops, benefit from First Net.
Public Information Officer Mike Nie has been in the firefighter game since the 80s.
A large binder with everything first responders could fit in it is where information lived before the laptops. Which can now be found in every first responder vehicle.
"It has all the information you would need," Nie said."From the most important at the top to the least important. So the first thing you get is the address, the type of call it is."
Many know all too well about the lack of cellular service after heading to a sold out Reds game, or into the jungle in Bengals gear, even Riverfest.
Amos stated one year at Riverfest was the breaking point.
"One year command went completely black we were supposed to be doing over watch and we lost everything after that point that’s when we knew we had to so something," he shared.
He said this service has created a new level of being able to be as present as possible for the community around them.
"We need to be connected as much as possible with information and with verbal communication sometimes our lives depend on it," Nie shared.
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