Connecting Minnesota when it matters most

A voice crackles over the radio as a Wyoming state trooper races down Interstate 90 toward the South Dakota border. Dispatchers coordinate across counties as police officers move in from the other side of the state line. In moments like this, first responders are not thinking about communications systems — they’re thinking about getting to the scene safely and helping people in need.

Behind that radio is a complex network of people and technology working to make sure police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS), dispatchers and emergency managers can communicate effectively. And when these communication systems work well, people do not notice them. They simply see help arrive.

For Nate Smolinski, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s new deputy director of communications and interoperability, this coordination is his number one priority.

Smolinski recently joined our Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) division after more than a decade working in emergency communications as the statewide interoperability coordinator and chief technology officer for the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Originally from the East Coast, he quickly learned that distance means something different in the West.

As a large state with a small population, Wyoming communities are spread out and agencies cover wide service areas. A neighboring jurisdiction may be miles away, but during an emergency, those miles cannot become barriers. 

“When you talk about interoperable communications, you’re really talking about how we work across silos,” Smolinski said. “Fire, law enforcement and EMS all have their own systems and ways of operating. Interoperability is about finding ways to connect those platforms so responders can do their jobs as effortlessly as possible.”

Communication beyond state lines

One example of this work in action came from the Wyoming-South Dakota border.

Wyoming had made significant upgrades within its statewide communications system but had challenges connecting with neighboring states. If a trooper from the Wyoming Highway Patrol was involved in a pursuit on I-90 that crossed into South Dakota, the response did not simply stop at the border. South Dakota responders were often moving toward the same incident from the other direction. They could reach one another through dispatch or workarounds, but it was difficult during fast-moving incidents.

Smolinski’s team worked with partners in neighboring states to change this.

“We were able to connect the systems so that it worked more like a cell call,” Smolinski explained. “They don’t have to think about which tower they are using when crossing into another state. The system handles that in the background, and the responder can stay focused on the incident.”

More than radios

Interoperability is often described as equipment: radios, broadband, alerting systems, dispatch technology and data networks. But the work is not only about devices or platforms.

At its core, interoperability means collaborating effectively, no matter where responders are located. That could mean emergency managers coordinating during a disaster. It could mean dispatch centers sharing information when one community needs to support another. Or, it could simply mean smaller communities having access to tools that fit their needs and resources.

Building connections across Minnesota

This past month, interoperability work transitioned from our Emergency Communication Networks (ECN) division to HSEM. The change reflects how closely emergency communications is tied to disaster response, statewide coordination and public safety partnerships. Minnesota’s interoperability work supports the systems that responders rely on during everyday emergencies and large-scale incidents. 

Smolinski is looking forward to meeting Minnesota’s public safety partners, learning what communities need and helping build practical solutions across the state.

That focus on relationships is what brought him back toward communications work after moving into broader technology leadership roles in Wyoming.

“I could see the impacts we were able to make and the changes we were able to bring forward,” Smolinski said. “For me, it always came back to taking care of our first responders, which in turn takes care of the public. That is what makes this work meaningful.”