Pennsylvania

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University recently published an excellent report, Beyond Connectivity Among Rural First Responders in Pennsylvania. The report is based on the findings from focus groups and interviews with law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 center representatives, local officials, and other key stakeholders. The in-depth discussions identified multiple problems that hinder public safety work in rural areas:

This report details the experiences of rural first responders in Pennsylvania working with information communication technologies (ICTs) and digital networks. Through a series of focus groups and interviews with law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service providers, and 911 center representatives, along with county officials and other local stakeholders, we explore the challenges and opportunities brought by digital communication technologies for the work of rural first responders.

This week, the Pennsylvania House Communications & Technology Committee held an informational meeting to discuss broadband access and affordability across the Commonwealth. Speakers from community anchor institutions, universities, public-interest organizations, and the private sector came to discuss broadband affordability—what is needed, what's been done, and what the future might look like.

“This is not an option any longer. Maybe it was 30 or 40 years ago when it first began, but today it’s part of our lives.” That was Pennsylvania State Rep.

We urge the Commonwealth to expand its efforts to comprehensively address the digital divide, including the issues of broadband affordability and adoption. Specifically, we recommend that Pennsylvania:

I first want to set the scene by telling you what I heard from a rural firefighter who participated in a focus group I held for a project sponsored by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania about how the lack of internet impacts first responders and public safety in rural Pennsylvania: “If you lose signal, you can’t communicate, you better have God sitting on your shoulders because that’s the only person that’s gonna be able to help you.” This quote has stayed with me since I heard it last summer, because it encapsulates the dire need for meaningful, affordable, connectivity throughout the Commo

The affordability of key services such as home broadband is front and center for citizens and policymakers alike. For broadband, a number of points are important to keep in mind when thinking about service affordability:

Throughout my career—as an educator, school board member, volunteer firefighter, fire chief, and community leader—I have learned that every important investment we make is ultimately an investment in people. Broadband is no different. It is not simply about technology. It is about opportunity. It is about whether a child has the same educational opportunities regardless of where they live, whether a volunteer firefighter has access to life-saving training, whether a family can connect to healthcare, and whether a rural community can participate fully in Pennsylvania's future.