The National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued a Federal Register Notice seeking expressions of interest from those interested in serving on the First Responder Network Authority Board.
Prospective candidates should have expertise or experience in public safety, network, technical or financial areas, according to an NTIA news release. The board provides overall policy direction and oversight of the broadband network, FirstNet, to ensure the nationwide network continuously meets the needs of public safety.
"Today, first responders throughout the country use FirstNet to help them save lives and keep communities safe," the FirstNet website said. "The network is built for public safety with a dedicated network core that separates public safety traffic from non-public safety traffic."
The 15-member FirstNet Authority Board includes 12 non-permanent members, the Secretary of Homeland Security, U.S. Attorney General and director of the Office of Management and Budget, the news release reported. One of the non-permanent members resigned before the end of his term, and the secretary of Commerce will appoint an individual to complete that member's term through September 2024.
The FirstNet Authority is an independent authority within NTIA, created by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, to ensure the building, deployment and operation of a nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network, based on a single, national network architecture, according to the news release. The FirstNet Authority holds the single nationwide public safety license granted for wireless public safety broadband deployment.
Those interested in serving on the board, should email FirstNetBoardApplicant@ntia.gov on or before April 27.
"The FirstNet Authority advances public safety communications tools and innovations," the FirstNet website said. "Through a combination of government, commercial and public safety partnerships, we work to deliver a public safety broadband network and to support an ecosystem of apps, devices and capabilities that are innovative, reliable, accessible and secure.
