Home 5 Press Releases 5 Seventy-Three Associations and Organizations Representing Over 5 Million First Responders Back National Effort to Reauthorize FirstNet

Seventy-Three Associations and Organizations Representing Over 5 Million First Responders Back National Effort to Reauthorize FirstNet

Share

About the Author

PSBTA Team

The mission of the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association is to empower the first responder community by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to participate in the overall success of the network. This includes training a new generation of public safety processionals on the fundamentals of the network by providing access and a platform to trade ideas, innovations, best practices and lessons learned that will lead to smarter and more effective public safety services.

by PSBTA Team | Feb 20, 2026 | Press Releases

Table of Contents

FirstNet, and its Supporters, Urge Congress to Give FirstNet Independent and Essential Long-Term Certainty

Las Vegas, NV (February 2026) – To date, more than seventy associations and organizations representing over five million first responders across the country, announced their formal support for the reauthorization of the FirstNet. From first responders, to government officials and Tribal entities, all are urging Congress to remove the current sunset clause to ensure long-term stability for the nation’s public safety broadband network.

“On behalf of our members, we strongly believe FirstNet must have long-term, independent certainty so it can continue to evolve with the needs of public safety,” commented John Paul Jones, Executive Director of the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association. “Reliable, secure, and interoperable communications are no longer a luxury for first responders; they are a lifeline for the communities we serve. By reauthorizing FirstNet, Congress can ensure that sheriffs, deputies, firefighters, EMS, and emergency managers have the tools they need to coordinate effectively during both everyday operations and large-scale emergencies.”

Recently, a coalition of national public safety organizations sent a letter to Congressional leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator John Thune, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, and Senator Chuck Schumer, expressing support for removing the sunset clause for the FirstNet Authority and calling on Congress to enact this change in 2026. This group represents a broad cross-section of public safety disciplines, including the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical services, state and local emergency management, and county and municipal leaders.

To date, the following national and regional associations and organizations have written specific letters of support for an independent FirstNet.

National and International

APCO International	International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)	National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW)	National Congress of American Indians	Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA)
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)	National Association of Counties (NACo)	Taxpayers Protection Alliance
	National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)

Regional

Ann Arbor Fire Department, MI	Duck NC Police Department	New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs, Inc.	North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police	Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians, WI
Black Mountain NC Police Department	Florida Division of Emergency Management	New Hampshire Municipal Association	North Carolina Department of Public Safety	Stamford CT Police Department
Bowling Green Police Department, OH	Greybull WY Police Department	New Jersey Career Fire Chiefs Association	North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations	State Troopers Superior Officers Association of New Jersey, Inc.
California Fire Chiefs	Hamilton County OH Emergency Communications	New Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs Association	Pinehurst NC Police Department	TCU Police Department TX
Career Fire Chiefs of New York State	Indiana Sheriffs’ Association	New York State Association of Chiefs of Police	Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns	Utah Chiefs of Police Association
Citrus County Sheriff FL	Kentucky Derby Festival	New York State Association of Counties	Ripley County Sheriff IN	Utah Department of Public Safety
City of Milwaukee Fire Department, WI	Lyons GA Police Department	New York State Association of Fire Chiefs	River Forest Fire Department. IL	Utah Sheriffs’ Association, Inc.
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities	Nevada Emergency Preparedness Association	New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials	Seminole County Sheriff, FL	Virginia State Firefighter’s Association
Connecticut Police Chiefs Association	New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc	Newtown CT Police Department	Seymour Police Department IN	Waynesville NC Police Department
Department of Emergency, Communications, Preparedness and Response, VA

About PSBTA

The Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA) is an organization focused exclusively on ensuring the success of the entire FirstNet ecosystem that includes the legal entity created by Congress, the network infrastructure, hardware and software, and the single most important component—the end users.

Media Contact: Emily Snayd, emily@hfscommunications.com

Share

About the Author