By Angel Benally 
Tribal Affairs Specialist, 
FirstNet Program at AT&T

Angel Benally is an enrolled tribal member of the Navajo Nation and lives and works from her home in Utah on the Navajo Nation. 

The vast and diverse landscape of Navajo Nation, spanning over 27,000 square miles with mountains, canyons and high plateaus, presents significant challenges for emergency responders who rely on constant communication. 

However, the introduction of FirstNet® is transforming connectivity and operational efficiency for Navajo Nation's police, fire and wildlife departments.

And for public safety officials on Navajo Nation, FirstNet MegaRange will be a game-changer.

Navajo Nation is using a National Telecommunications and Information Administration Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant to outfit its emergency vehicle fleet with in-vehicle FirstNet connectivity. FirstNet MegaRange is a special class of High Power User Equipment that boosts the cell signal strength beyond the edge of coverage to enhance connectivity for public safety.

Boosting coverage with FirstNet MegaRange

Ronald Silversmith, Deputy Chief of Field Operations for the Navajo Nation Police Department, emphasizes the critical role this technology plays: “The terrain drops into canyons and large valley areas where even our mobile police radios are unable to connect with our dispatch. Our officers go in blind on a lot of these calls.” 

The deployment of over 200 FirstNet MegaRange devices is set to address these connectivity issues, enabling better communication and safety for officers. 

“If we get a reliable technology infrastructure in place for our officers, it won’t be as challenging,” Silversmith says. Reliable Wi-Fi connectivity in remote areas will allow officers to complete reports electronically while in the field, improving their availability and response times.

Enhancing operational efficiency and interoperability

FirstNet offers another crucial benefit for Navajo Nation: enhanced interoperability with other jurisdictions. This is especially vital during large events or emergencies where mutual aid is required. 

“At times we are deployed to assist other Tribal Nations during their special events or major incidents,” Silversmith said. “Just having that same communication service with FirstNet would be a benefit to both Tribal nations.”

During a recent snowstorm and subsequent flooding in the Chinle area, FirstNet proved invaluable. 

“Having that service—the connection with public safety personnel, our own officers, and frontline supervisors who carried FirstNet phones—we had direct connectivity, direct communication with them,” Silversmith explains.

Supporting fire and rescue operations

The Navajo Nation Fire Department also stands to benefit significantly by FirstNet MegaRange. 

“The terrain gets pretty rough,” says Fire Lieutenant Gerald Todacheenie. “The challenges we have during big events when it comes to communications is the lack of infrastructure to facilitate this large number of people.”

An enhanced signal and service boost from FirstNet will enable near real-time updates, improving the department’s ability to respond effectively to fires, hazmat situations and rescues. 

“The Navajo Nation fire department only has 20 firefighters,” Todacheenie emphasizes. “On weekends, you only have one firefighter on duty. So, it'll help greatly with getting some reception so you can say, ‘Hey, this is too much for me. I need help.’”

In addition to improved communication, FirstNet is paving the way for future advancements. Lieutenant Todacheenie envisions using FirstNet connectivity for drones to get a better view of fire lines, not just for fires, but for search and rescue as well. 

This data sharing could also extend to EMS, allowing them to transmit patient vitals to hospitals in near real-time.

Improving wildlife conservation efforts

Harold Moses, a Navajo Nation Wildlife Conservation Officer, describes the difficulties faced due to the remote and rugged terrain: “There are hardly any towers up there. There's a lot of dips and valleys that we go into where we lose communication. Cell phone service doesn't work at all and our radio cuts out.” 

“Once FirstNet MegaRange is installed,” Moses says, “it’ll help us with our laptops, where we can hook up on Wi-Fi and communicate with other officers in the field.” This will reduce the need for long travel times to submit reports and allow officers to stay in the field longer, increasing their efficiency and coverage. 

FirstNet Push-to-Talk is already making a difference. Moses recounts a situation: “I was in Shiprock one day and there was an officer calling from the Chambers or Sanders area. And it was really clear, compared to our radios that we do have now.”

Creating a safer, more connected community

The introduction of FirstNet on Navajo Nation marks a big step forward in public safety. During the initial phase of FirstNet buildout, more than 100 FirstNet cell towers launched on the Navajo Nation’s lands, broadening the reach of FirstNet. Enhanced communication, improved operability, and the potential for advanced technology like drones will equip officials to handle emergencies more effectively.  As the network expands, it provides a safer and more connected future for the Navajo Nation community.

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