STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (October 6, 2016)— Mission Critical Partners, Inc. (MCP) developed and managed, on behalf of the State of Arizona, a mock disaster drill designed to test a variety of communications technologies being considered for the state’s planned public safety broadband network (PSBN). The disaster drill—which simulated a tour helicopter losing altitude and striking a tour bus, with multiple fatalities and injuries and a wide debris field— was hosted by the Hualapai Tribe and its Grand Canyon West Corporation, and held on tribal lands at the west rim of the Grand Canyon.

The Arizona PSBN, which currently is in the planning stages, ultimately will provide the state’s first responders with advanced communications abilities, such as: live streaming of video and images from the emergency scene; the transmittal of critical patient data to trauma centers from the scene and while en route; and the capturing of biometric data in order to keep first responders in the field safer. The Arizona PSBN will be a component of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) being developed under the auspices of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).

MCP subject-matter experts developed the exercise plan, coordinated the activities of the public safety entities and technology vendors that participated, and oversaw the execution of the disaster drill. They also will develop the after-action assessment and report.

“We are honored that the State of Arizona entrusted MCP with this important field exercise,” said Kevin Murray, MCP president and founder. “The information gained from this event will help the planners of the PSBN to optimize the network design to deliver a truly next-generation network for the state’s first responders.”

The following public safety entities participated in the disaster drill:

• Hualapai Nation Police and Fire Departments
• Grand Canyon West Airport Fire Department
• Grand Canyon Resort Corporation
• U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs
• Arizona Department of Public Safety
• Mohave County Emergency Management
• Mohave County Sheriff’s Office
• Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office
• Bullhead City Fire Department
• Kingman Fire Department
• Arizona Department of Transportation
• Arizona Department of Administration
• Arizona Department of Health Services
• Hospitals in Arizona and Nevada

Technology vendors that participated include the following:

• Mutualink—Internet Protocol (IP)-based multimedia resource-sharing platform
• General Dynamics Mission Systems—Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network
• Parallel Wireless—LTE network
• Sonim Technologies—LTE-ready smartphones
• GeoSuite—Web-based multimedia data-sharing platform
• Broadsoft—Unified communication and collaboration solution
• TAKTIK—Enterprise media platform
• NICE Systems—Video-server platform
• ELSAG NA—Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system
• Texas A&M University Intertec2 Technology Evaluation Center—Network support

About Mission Critical Partners (MCP)

Mission Critical Partners is an industry leader with expertise in radio and wireless broadband; networks and Next Generation 911; public safety facilities and operations; and lifecycle management. Backed by a team of more than 80 experts who bring decades of experience to every project, MCP provides consulting and lifecycle management services that help transform our client’s public safety systems and operations at every stage of their lifecycle: design, implement, build or manage. Additional information and career opportunities are available at missioncritical.3twenty9.net.