Cradlepoint, part of Ericsson, announced last Friday that public agencies across the United States continue to take advantage of the Cradlepoint FirstConnect Grant Award Program. The funding program was initiated to support public agencies who needed to modernize connectivity and communications solutions, but lacked adequate public funding.
A wealth of new technologies and applications—including 5G solutions, private networking options, and more—exist today to aid frontline responders in their life-saving work. However, finding money to power these technologies and important tools can prove to be incredibly difficult for first responder organizations. The Cradlepoint FirstConnect program assists public safety agencies and first responders in leveraging wireless network solutions to connect the most up-to-date technologies and applications that help them act faster, improve communication, stay safer, and better protect their communities.
In West Virginia, the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department is dedicated to providing the most efficient emergency response to assist the citizens in the Town of Kimball and surrounding areas in times of need. Deploying dependable broadband in the field is a tremendous need for responders in Southern West Virginia. Utilizing Cradlepoint IBR900-1200 modems attached to Assured Wireless HPUE antennas allows the department to use the latest in mobile technology on emergency scenes, providing more reliable mobile communications and allowing the department to deploy mobile computer aided dispatch connecting directly to the 9-1-1 system.
The Cradlepoint grant assistance program was able to help the department navigate the Assistance to Firefighters Grant and reviewed their application and narratives before submission. Utilizing the same information, the department received a grant from the West Virginia State Fire Marshal, which allowed the department to begin the deployment.
Serving a population of approximately 25,000 citizens, the City of Faribault Police Department is a full-service agency protecting the citizens and visitors of Faribault, MN. When the agency needed to add surveillance cameras with associated Cradlepoint routers in their downtown area, the department sought out a $300,000 grant from the BJA Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction Program.
Bryan Wood, senior vice president of sales, North America at Cradlepoint
Wireless cellular network connection enables greater agility, with solutions that can flex and scale as plans—and emergencies—evolve, harnessing the power to aid first responders and public safety agencies on the front lines. With the Cradlepoint FirstConnect program, in conjunction with the U.S. Cares Act, we stand ready to assist public agencies as they look for new and adapted ways of performing their vital role to protect and serve their communities with wireless technologies.
Chief Jimmy Gianato of the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department
Using Cradlepoint’s FirstConnect program has been very helpful to facilitate the right grants for funding for our connectivity needs. In fact, it was so effective that we plan to use the program again to secure additional grant funding to assist in our department’s growing connectivity needs. Mobile broadband connectivity is essential to effective operations in today’s technology world. We are very appreciative of the assistance this program provides.
John Sherwin, chief of police, Faribault Police Department
There are a number of grants that local agencies can take advantage of to support the acquisition of technologies that will enable better policing. We recommend that agencies explore grant opportunities independently or work with their technology vendors—the Cradlepoint FirstConnect program is a great example—to support funding of their projects.
