CHICAGO – The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team recently completed a deployment in support of federal, state and local public safety agencies during the Democratic National Convention.

The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team’s preparations for this high-profile event started more than 18 months ago and required close collaboration with dozens of federal, state and county agencies to help ensure first responders had the mission-critical communications capabilities they needed as they worked to maintain the safety of Chicago’s residents, attendees and visitors.

During the deployment, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team provided agencies with Verizon Frontline solutions ranging from smartphones loaded with public safety-specific applications to deployable communications assets like Satellite Picocells on Trailers (SPOTs).

The team also provided unmanned aerial system (UAS) support to public safety agencies during the convention, helping provide broader situational awareness at multiple locations, as well as boosting network coverage for specialized missions. Additionally, the team assisted in network monitoring to ensure total coverage for public safety agencies and deployed extra routers to command centers and high-traffic locations to help first responders maintain constant contact.

The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team also supported public safety agencies during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During the two conventions, the team provided first responders with more than 900 Verizon Frontline solutions.

“The support of the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team in both Chicago and Milwaukee was a key aspect of helping ensure all involved agencies were able to successfully achieve their missions through collaboration and communication,” said Derek Mayer, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Chicago Field Office, the office for the entire states of Illinois, Wisconsin, the Quad Cities portion of Iowa and the northern part of Indiana.

The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies and emergency responders on a 24/7 basis at no cost to the supported agencies. Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team members set up portable cell sites, Wi-Fi hotspots, charging stations and other Verizon Frontline devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders – developed over three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines – to meet their unique and evolving needs. Learn more at our site.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Frontline today introduced Dr. Kathleen L. Kiernan as the newest member of the Verizon First Responder Advisory Council (VFRAC).

Currently serving as President and Chair of the Board of NEC National Security Systems, her distinguished career includes 25 years of service with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) as the Assistant Director, Intelligence, and positions at educational institutions including Johns Hopkins University and the Naval Postgraduate School.

Dr. Kiernan is the founder and CEO of Kiernan Holdings, a security and risk management firm, and is President of the C3 Foundation of the National Association of Women in Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE). She also serves on the board of advisors for the San Diego Harbor Police Foundation, and is a member of the advisory board for the Center for Advanced Red Teaming at the University at Albany, SUNY.

“This role with the Verizon First Responder Advisory Council presents an exciting opportunity to help Verizon continue its support of public safety agencies across the country,” said Kiernan. “In today’s ever-changing technological landscape, it’s vital that we keep first responders equipped with the network and solutions they need to carry out their critical mission of keeping our communities safe.”

The VFRAC advises Verizon Frontline on various aspects of its work with public safety agencies including strategy, product development and public policy initiatives, helping to ensure the services and solutions developed for public safety meet the needs of first responders.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders – developed over three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines – to meet their unique and evolving needs.