County dispatch center back up and running after sprinkler incident (KS)

The Ellis County Dispatch Center is back up a running after flooding from a sprinkler head activation caused significant damage to equipment.

On Monday, Aug. 2 at about 5 p.m. workers soldering on the dispatch center’s HVAC accidentally set off a fire suppression system sprinkler, spraying water on dispatch equipment and flooding a portion of rooms housing equipment belonging to the county, the City of Hays and Nex-Tech.

Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers said staff was quickly able to roll the phone calls over to the Hays Fire Department and 911 phone calls were transferred to the Pratt County…

Letter: Police officers see no merit in regional 911 system (MA)

Letter: Police officers see no merit in regional 911 system (MA)

Photo by Orin Zebest via Flickr

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The members of the Ipswich Police Association respectfully offer our views, and objections to the proposed closing of the Ipswich Emergency Communications Center and subsequent transition of emergency communication services to the North Shore Regional 911 Center in Middleton.

These views, are based on over the 20 years of experience we have in working with these dedicated, long-serving professionals, who along with the members of the Ipswich Fire Department and locally based Action Ambulance Paramedics, Animal Control, Harbors and our Shellfish Constables, continually deliver the entirety of police, fire, medical emergency and public safety responses, that our community has come to expect…

FirstNet Authority seeks input on potential solutions to off-network challenges

FirstNet Authority officials released a request for information (RFI) seeking input about direct-mode and other technological solutions to address the issue of providing broadband communications support “off-network”—when first responders are in a location not supported by FirstNet’s terrestrial macro LTE system.

“We’re looking beyond the horizon—how does this look going forward?—and pulling that into the nationwide public-safety broadband network for that device-to-device connectivity,” FirstNet Authority Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Jeff Bratcher said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications

St. Pauls leaders learn the town needs to upgrade its emergency dispatch services (NC)

St. Pauls — Town leaders here learned Thursday an update is needed soon or the emergency services system will default to county 911 services.

St. Pauls dispatches its calls through a landline system and functions as a PSAP, or public safety answering point, and does not contract with Robeson County Emergency 911 services. However, the system needs an upgrade through AT&T soon in order to continue serving the community, St. Pauls Chief of Police Steve Dollinger said Thursday during a town Board of Commissioners meeting.

“In September, we may lose 911 completely,” he said…

TO THE RESCUE: Emergency first responders save ‘victims’ during mock exercise (OK)

TO THE RESCUE: Emergency first responders save ‘victims’ during mock exercise (OK)

Local emergency first responders on Thursday, Aug. 12, held a full-scale mock exercise, during which hazardous chemicals were sprayed on “civilians.”

The full-scale exercise began with a classroom session at the Tahlequah Fire Training Center, Aug. 10-11.

“All agencies from our community will test their capabilities, as well as response and preparedness,” said City of Tahlequah/Cherokee County Emergency Management Director Mike Underwood…