Three types of FirstNet Authority support for preparedness

By Bruce Fitzgerald, Senior Public Safety Advisor, Emergency Management, First Responder Network Authority

September is National Preparedness Month(link is external), an important reminder for Americans to prepare for disasters and emergencies. The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”

In public safety, every month is Preparedness Month. One of the best ways for the public safety community to prepare for emergencies and disasters is with FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network.

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Police Officer, Firefighter, Dispatcher of Year Named | City of Strongsville

Police Officer, Firefighter, Dispatcher of Year Named | City of Strongsville

Three members of Strongsville’s safety forces have been honored by the Knights of Columbus St. Francis of Assisi Council for outstanding work in 2020.

Police Officer of the Year Mike Mendise, Firefighter of the Year Andy Smeader and Dispatcher of the Year Angela Love have all received plaques for their dedication.

Love, who joined Southwest Emergency Dispatch Center in 2018, brought with her “a vast amount of experience, a jaw-dropping work ethic and a wonderfully sunny disposition,” her nominating letter says…

An Overview of FirstNet for Emergency Management

By Bruce Fitzgerald, Senior Public Safety Advisor, Emergency Management, First Responder Network Authority

With increasing numbers of emergency management agencies and other public safety agencies and partners using FirstNet, the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet Authority) Emergency Management Community of Practice is pleased to share a resource guide for emergency managers. Together our staff has more than 130 years of experience in the emergency management field, and we are pleased to provide an overview of features and functions that emergency managers may use in their daily and emergency response roles. Many of the topics covered in the guide are applicable for coordinating response in the field or when an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated. READ FULL ARTICLLE

New Mahoning law enforcement tool helps 911 responders identify mental disorders, special needs (MI)

New Mahoning law enforcement tool helps 911 responders identify mental disorders, special needs (MI)

YOUNGSTOWN — A new county registry for residents with special needs or mental health disorders is intended to better inform police officers and other responders during emergencies.

The new Mahoning County Special Needs Registry is a free and voluntary service allowing residents to register “vital” information that police should know in emergencies, such as a registrant’s cognitive disorders or developmental disabilities, triggers associated with their condition, their emergency contact information, a physical description and a current photograph, according to a Tuesday news release from the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office

If a registrant’s information is on-file, the system alerts county 911 dispatchers, who can then share that information with responders, according to the release…

Chiefs explain EOC’s role (NC)

With the busiest part of the hurricane season upon us, Swansboro commissioners are continuing discussion on the future of a town Emergency Operations Center. Most recently, at the meeting of Aug. 23, commissioners received a report from emergency services officials on the role of an EOC.

During Hurricane Florence in 2018, it became apparent that the Swansboro Public Safety Facility was inadequate to serve as an EOC for a storm event stronger than a Category 1 hurricane. Subsequent investigations by structural engineers have verified that…