Florida 911 dispatchers overlooked, miss out on $1K bonuses from Gov. DeSantis

by | Nov 16, 2022 | Comm Center News

As Hurricane Ian swept across the beachfront towns of southwest Florida, when panicked callers to 911 reported they were crouched in attics or standing in high water and fearful they would drown as floodwaters rose, Christine Hodges was a reassuring voice on the other end of the line.

But when Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered $1,000 bonuses in September to first responders – nearly 100,000 of them statewide – Hodges and other 911 dispatchers didn’t get any of the money or any recognition.

 

Cottonwood to help with dispatching crisis – (MN)

by | Nov 16, 2022 | Comm Center News

Cottonwood County will lend a hand to a neighbor in need of dispatching services.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Cottonwood County Commissioners approved a memorandum of agreement with the union representing county dispatch workers, which will allow the county to provide emergency dispatch services for Watonwan County.

 

Billings area 911 dispatch to begin encrypting law enforcement radio traffic – (MT)

by | Nov 14, 2022 | Comm Center News

BILLINGS – The City of Billings/Yellowstone County Emergency Communications Center will begin encrypting all City law enforcement radio communications for the safety of officers and security of sensitive information.

This change, set to take place on Nov. 15, 2022, means any Billings Police Department communication usually heard via scanner, will no longer be publicly broadcast.