Island’s emergency communication systems reinforced

Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Commissioner Ángel Jiménez Colón (Facebook via Negociado para el Manejo de Emergencias y Administración de Desastres)

By The Star Staff

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced Thursday the activation of two portable broadband towers for emergency situations and the selection of Puerto Rico to launch the first Spanish-language call center nationwide for participants in the federal public safety program, FirstNet.

“Without communication, there is no response. Therefore, I am proud to announce the official expansion of the FirstNet system on our island, with the opening of the first Spanish-language call center operating from Aguadilla, creating 80 new jobs, for Spanish-speaking customers throughout the United States and territories,” the governor said at a press conference in Dorado. “Additionally, two new portable broadband towers, purchased with federal funds, are now operational. These towers can generate a signal to continue operations in the event of an emergency where communication towers collapse. With these initiatives, which involve our government, the federal government, and private enterprise, we are building a more prepared and resilient Puerto Rico, where technology and collaboration strengthen communities and save lives.”

Joining the governor at the announcement were Public Safety Secretary Gen. Arthur Garffer; Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Commissioner Ángel Jiménez Colón; Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli; Alexandra Fernández Navarro, a board member of the First Responder Network Authority under U.S. Department of Commerce; Kyle Richardson, regional senior public safety adviser for FirstNet; and several executives from AT&T.

In 2012, in response to the shortcomings identified after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. Congress created a program to ensure a national communications infrastructure focused on emergency management. The program, known as the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet Authority, is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The FirstNet network has been operating in Puerto Rico since 2018. FirstNet network customers include state governments, municipalities, and subscribed private entities.