by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 24, 2025 | Comm Center News
Billie Shepperd was planning her daughter Sheila’s 60th birthday party in June 2020 when the phone rang.
She had been imagining family members traveling from Washington, DC, to celebrate at the beach with crab legs and potato salad, when she picked up to hear Maria Shepperd, her granddaughter and Sheila’s daughter, sobbing.
Maria was alone, performing chest compressions on her mother after she had fainted and stopped breathing. The 13-year-old had called 911 — like tens of millions of people do each year when they need help — then called Billie from another phone as she spoke to the dispatcher.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 22, 2025 | Comm Center News
WAMPSVILLE, NY — For the first time, Madison County leaders are linking potential 911 connectivity issues with proposed wind farms, saying the wind turbines will interfere with 911 communications.
Madison County says the proposed Liberty Renewals’ Hoffman Falls Wind Project will greatly impact public safety.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 21, 2025 | Comm Center News
WENATCHEE — RiverCom 911 has received a key approval from the state’s Project Review Committee, clearing the way for the agency to move forward with planning a new emergency communications facility. The committee gave unanimous support for RiverCom to use a General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) delivery method—an approach that brings contractors into the planning process before design is finalized.
RiverCom officials say this early collaboration is critical for a 911 center, where the system must function seamlessly from day one. By identifying potential issues early, GC/CM helps avoid delays, cut down on costly changes, and ensure taxpayer money is used efficiently.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 21, 2025 | Comm Center News
The Lyon County Commission approved the purchase of a 4-month pilot with Hyper to automate 10 non-emergency call types for a total of $16,200 to be paid from the Dispatch Contractual Services fund.
The new program, developed by new San Francisco based startup Hyper, is designed to respond to calls related to utilities, parking, controlled burns, and other non-911 issues. An AI voice, customizable by gender and talking speed, will ask for information and process it, transferring the caller if needed.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2025 | Comm Center News
Yesterday (Tuesday) marked a major milestone in the future of Fairfax County’s emergency response: one of the agency’s first uses of artificial intelligence.
For a brief period of time that day, the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) tested an AI system to triage select calls for service to the non-emergency line, officials announced.
“This limited test only handled calls that didn’t need police, fire or EMS response,” the county said. “Think of questions about permits, noise complaints from last week, or asking which department handles a specific problem.”
