The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced the appointment of a new board chair for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that Chief Richard Carrizzo has been appointed as board chair of the First Responder Network Authority, an April 27 press release said. Currently serving as the fire chief for the Southern Platte Fire Protection District in Missouri, Carrizzo was first appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in 2018. The position was previously held by Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin, who resigned as board chair effective March 31 in order to assume a position in the White House.
Carrizzo was reappointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in 2021 to serve as the board's vice chair in addition to Advocacy Committee chair
“Rich Carrizzo has been an outstanding FirstNet Authority Board member who will bring strong leadership to the organization during the next phase of FirstNet implementation,” Raimondo said in the release. “I want to thank Mayor Stephen Benjamin for his leadership of the FirstNet Authority Board. Under his leadership, the FirstNet Authority saw the deployment of the initial 5-year network build-out and made critical investments to improve resiliency and coverage on the network. I congratulate Steve on his new position in the White House.”
As an independent entity under the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the First Responder Network Authority has partnered with telecommunications company AT&T to oversee the "building, deployment, and operation of the nationwide public safety broadband network that equips first responders to save lives and protect U.S. communities."
“Chief Carrizzo will excel as the new FirstNet Authority Board Chair,” Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA administrator, said in the release. “His steady direction will be a huge asset as FirstNet moves towards future investments to upgrade its network and meet the needs of first responders. Chief Carrizzo will bring continuity and leadership during this critical time period.”
