BARNSTABLE – Amid major increases in emergency call volumes, the Barnstable County Sheriff’s office is planning expansions to its 911 Regional Emergency Communications Center.
The center has been in operation on Joint Base Cape Cod since 2007, handling calls for the majority of fire departments in the region, according to the department.
With rising operational costs and staffing challenges, utilizing a larger regional dispatch that can be shared among even more communities has become more attractive in recent years, says Sheriff Donna Buckley.
“It is my goal to expand our existing capacity by enlarging the dispatch center, so we can accommodate as many new departments as possible,” Buckley said.
Two new additions to the department’s staff will assist in the effort. Deputy Chief of Communications Tom Ashe has been promoted to Chief of Emergency Communications and David Zack has been hired to serve as Director of Emergency Communications.
There’s no timeline yet on when a new center could be up and running, but Buckley said they have made significant progress in determining what kind of space they would need to potentially serve the region at large.
Community Project Funding for water infrastructure, public safety, libraries, workforce development, and more in the Fourth District included in FY 2024 federal government funding package
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) announced $15,217,036 in Community Project Funding that she has worked to secure for Minnesota’s Fourth District in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills that passed the House today. These projects were included in H. Res. 1061,legislation that establishes federal funding for multiple agencies across six Appropriations bills: Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; Interior and Environment; and Veterans Affairs and Military Construction. Her vote to pass this first of two anticipated Appropriations government funding packages for FY 2024 will allow federal resources to be directly invested in some of the most pressing needs in the East Metro. Congress must now act by March 22 to pass the remaining funding legislation for FY 2024 to avoid a partial government shutdown.
“This legislation is long overdue, and should have passed six months ago—but nevertheless, I am pleased that $15,217,036 in Community Project Funding I worked to secure within this bill will have a positive impact on Minnesota’s Fourth District,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “These investments are the result of strong partnerships led by local leaders for projects that will make families and our communities healthier, safer, and stronger.”
Rep. McCollum secured funding for 15 projects that will directly benefit Fourth District residents.
These include:
$1,000,000 to Ramsey County for the Rice Street Reconstruction which will improve traffic flow and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and drivers.
$2,965,000 to Ramsey County for their Emergency and Public Safety Communications Network Replacement to provide reliable communication infrastructure for first responders.
$963,000 to Washington County to upgrade their Public Safety Equipment and Technology with two airboats and a digital evidence management system.
$500,000 to Washington County to construct the Trunk Highway 96, Norell Avenue, and Stonebridge Trail Roundabout which will improve safety for all users on these roadways.
$1,000,000 to the East Side Boys Girls Club to renovate and expand their facility to create a state-of-the-art Workforce Development Training Center for youth in the community.
$1,666,279 to the City of Saint Paul to construct a new Fire Station 7 to improve fire and EMS coverage to the East Side and surrounding areas.
$500,000 to the City of Saint Paul for the Riverview Library Renovation that will ensure this historic Carnegie library serves the next generation of Saint Paul’s West Side with upgrades to its technology and programming space, and improved accessibility.
$500,000 to the City of Saint Paul for their Hayden Heights Library Renovation to create an innovative technology resource hub on the East Side that will meet residents’ business, economic, and community space needs.
$963,000 to the University of St. Thomas for Analytical Equipment for Measurement Science that will allow research into complex questions about ecological and water issues in Minnesota.
$1,000,000 to the American Indian Family Center to construct the Oyate Ota Center to provide a central community space to deliver services and supports to the American Indian community.
$850,000 to the City of North St. Paul for their Community Center Revitalization to create a year-round, mixed-use community hub that will be safe and accessible to all residents.
$959,757 to the City of Gem Lake for their Municipal Water Supply Project to provide safe drinking water for residents whose well water has been contaminated.
$850,000 to the City of Woodbury for their reconstruction and improvement of Weir Drive to address safety concerns and access.
$500,000 to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to guide the development of an Anerobic Digester Nutrient Recovery industry that would reduce nutrient run-off into Minnesota’s waters.
$1,000,000 to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for their Cereal Disease Laboratory, which conducts cutting-edge research to support the stability of our global food supply.
H. Res. 1061 includes six of the 12 Appropriations bills that provide regular funding for the federal government. For the last five months, the government has remained open through passage of four temporary funding bills. These Continuing Resolutions were required because Republicans controlling Congress pushed extreme partisan measures in the funding legislation instead of working with Democrats to craft responsible bills based on agreements in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act that was signed into law in June 2023.
House Appropriations Democrats, working with the White House, were successful in accomplishing two major goals in H. Res. 1061:First, removing harmful, extreme House Republican policy riders that attempted to make abortion illegal everywhere, slash efforts to fight climate change, and threaten our national security. And secondly, Democrats rejected extreme Republican funding cuts that would have decimated Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) funding for families facing food insecurity, taken away affordable housing vouchers for tens of thousands of Americans, and a massive cut to heating assistance, literally leaving families out in the cold, among other cuts.
This government funding package invests in America’s future and delivers for the American people by:
Protecting women’s rights by blocking attempts to limit women’s access to reproductive health care, including abortion, and by increasing funding for gender-based violence prevention and prosecution programs.
Confronting the climate crisis, fighting climate change, and ensuring America’s energy independence with robust, transformative investments in deploying clean energy technologies in communities across the country, and providing funding for cutting-edge scientific and climate-related research.
Honoring our commitments to our veterans by ensuring they receive the care and benefits that they have earned and investing in veterans’ health care, including targeted investments that advance women’s health, mental health, and homelessness assistance.
H. Res. 1061 is expected to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden later this week. A detailed summary of the bill is available here. By March 22, Congress must pass the remaining Fiscal Year 2024 funding bills: Defense, Legislative Branch, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and State and Foreign Operations, in order to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Much has been written in the past several months about challenges faced by Knox County government. From the issue related to the Knox Regional Communications Center (KRCC) to the sudden departure of the former long-time county administrator, it is reasonable to expect that taxpayers would wonder what’s going on. I hope the following will answer some questions, and provide a better understanding of the current situation.
Like any organization managing change or transition — any company or business — the bigger story goes untold. For Knox County, that story is one that should highlight the merits of the dedicated public service employees who work every day to serve those of us who live here.
Those employees include the caring women and men who staff the phones and the radios inside the KRCC. These are the people, our friends and neighbors, who are there for us when we need emergency services and who send the first responders to our rescue.
In spite of recent reports about that department, the fact remains that those emergency communications professionals and their supervisory staff, with support from Waldo County for several more weeks, continue to handle the critical task of coordinating the quick and efficient responses of a score of fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies throughout the county.
Together with our municipal partners and other stakeholders, the county is exploring whether or not the current KRCC model is the best model. At the same time, one municipality is proactively investigating the prospect of opening its own Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), and what that would look like. As we move forward and when firm plans are in place, more information will be shared. To dribble bits and pieces of speculative and evolving data prematurely would be irresponsible.
In the meantime, the county’s plan for improvement and ultimate restoration of a vertically integrated PSAP is being reviewed by the Maine Emergency Services Communication Bureau, a division of Maine’s Public Utilities Commission which has oversight of the two dozen PSAP operations throughout the state.
There are many other fine people who are employed by Knox County, the vast majority of whom the average citizen may never get the chance to meet or interact with. The various departments are staffed by well trained and seasoned workers who go to work every day on our behalf. These include our sheriff’s deputies who patrol our rural roadways and the corrections officers who oversee our jail population; the folks who keep our airport running smoothly, and the emergency management agency staff who prepare for, monitor and react to both natural and man-made disasters; the folks who work at the courthouse handling deeds, probate, the prosecution of criminal acts and who handle other legal matters; and those in administration, finance, information technology and facility management. Each of these individuals are worthy of our recognition and appreciation.
Although my assignment with the county is temporary, I will do my best during my time in this role to work closely with the elected county commissioners and senior staff to ensure that Knox County residents continue to receive the highest level of services possible for their tax investment.
Gordon Page, Sr., is interim Knox County Administrator
Grants will pay for training, life-saving equipment and new technology to aid in disaster planning and recovery operations
Application now open for nonprofits, governmental agencies
GREENVILLE, S.C., March 12, 2024 /3BL/ – The Duke Energy Foundation is launching the third year of its $500,000 microgrant program to invest in emergency preparedness organizations across South Carolina to increase their resiliency to major weather events through advanced preparation, planning, equipment and training.
“When severe weather impacts communities across our state, we work alongside local emergency management and law enforcement teams to restore life back to normal,” said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina state president. “These grants will help provide our fellow first responders with the tools and training to handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way.”
Nonprofits and governmental agencies across the state are eligible to apply and may request funds up to $20,000.
Grant applications may include, but are not limited to, projects that focus on:
Equipment necessary for severe weather rescues to preserve human life
Emergency communication tools for severe weather scenarios
Specialized training for first responders for severe weather scenarios
Organized planning initiatives for communities to prepare for extreme weather
Community storm preparedness trainings, materials, kits or shelters
Improved outcomes for low-income communities experiencing extreme weather
Since 2022, Duke Energy has provided 66 microgrants totaling $1 million to nonprofits and local agencies across the Palmetto State supporting training, essential equipment and life-saving technology to aid in disaster planning and response.
“In any type of major event, communication is a critical component of the public safety response to that event,” said Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. “The purchase of radio equipment last year, via the grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, will help public safety agencies in Oconee County accomplish those tasks more efficiently for the safety of our citizens, which is our number one priority. The grant allowed for the purchase of handheld radios that we will give to the South Carolina Highway Patrol as well as the Department of Natural Resources that will allow them to directly communicate with our deputies.”
Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.
Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
GLASGOW, Ky. (WBKO) – The lifeline for many residents across Barren and Metcalfe counties is observing 30 years of service to the region.
Established in March 1994, the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center emerged after years of fragmented emergency communications. Beverly Harbison, 911 director, remembered how much slower those days were, especially on calls needing all three emergency services.
“Back in the day, you had a dispatch at EMS, you had one at the fire department on Cross Street, and then we had the police department on Broadway,” Harbison said.
Former Barren County Coroner Mike Swift played a pivotal role in establishing the current emergency communications center, consolidating fire, police, and ambulance dispatch services under one roof on Glasgow’s East Washington Street, Harbison said.
She remembered Swift’s enthusiasm and determination to make the consolidated center a reality.
“I think Mike just worked well with the community and the leaders of the community to get it done,” she said. “He did get it done, and he was proud that he got it done.”
Harbison’s journey into dispatching began unexpectedly, spurred by a friend’s father’s encouragement while working at a local convenience store. Following two weeks of training and certification, she started her career as a Glasgow police dispatcher in the 1980s.
Today, the dispatch center relies on cutting-edge technology to fulfill the critical duties of the 911 service. However, in earlier times, dispatchers operated with little more than telephones and radios, Harbison said.
Technological advancements have revolutionized the emergency communications profession, facilitating tasks such as record archiving and precise location tracking for 911 calls. In Glasgow, the dispatch center has boosted the capabilities of their first responders in addressing emergencies more efficiently.
“Saving time saves lives,” Harbison said.
One notable advancement was the introduction of a 911 texting feature in 2019, particularly beneficial in situations where verbal communication is compromised, such as cases of domestic violence.
The integration of video conferencing capabilities has also enabled dispatchers to visually assess emergency scenes in real-time, said April Dunbar, who has been a dispatcher and first responder since October 2000 and now serves as the assistant director of the Glasgow-based 911 service.
“That’s also helpful in domestic situations as well,” Dunbar said. “If they can’t talk and they need us to see what’s going on.”
Reflecting on the evolution of emergency response throughout her career, Dunbar described the transformative impact of cellular technology and advanced location services, citing them as critical components in the modern dispatcher’s toolkit.
Of the incoming calls, 78 percent originate from cell phones, with the remainder comprising mostly landlines and text messages, she said.
In an era dominated by social media and location-sharing apps like Life360, dispatchers often receive information about emergencies from multiple sources, sometimes after incidents have already been reported elsewhere.
“There’s been videos out there before we’re ever notified of what’s going on,” Dunbar said.
Moreover, the dispatch center holds certification to provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) to callers, a development that allows dispatchers to walk people through critical care like CPR and bleeding control.
“We’ve had some great success with that,” Harbison said.
It’s widely acknowledged that first responders bear some of the most demanding roles, frequently encountering people during their most harrowing moments. Consequently, the road to becoming a dispatcher is far from easy.
Applicants are required to pass a thorough screening process including items like a background check, drug screening, polygraph examination, psychological testing and suitability assessment.
They also attend four weeks of training in Richmond at the Kentucky Public Safety Dispatch Academy.
“Although it’s a very rewarding job at times, it can be a very stressful job,” Harbison said. “Sometimes just taking that bad call can make someone look for another career.”
Harbison and Dunbar said retaining dispatchers has been one of the industry’s largest hurdles in recent years. Local government routinely discusses ways to better pay first responders, but significant changes have yet to be made.
Funding for the vital service is partially sourced from a 911 fee incorporated into phone bills across Barren and Metcalfe counties. As landline customers have declined over the years, so has revenue generated from associated fees.
“Hopefully things will change over the years and people will understand,” Harbison said. “Because with us being behind the scenes, people don’t realize what we do. And until you actually physically come in here and set with us, that’s when you think, ‘Wow. They do a lot.’”
As Harbison aptly summarized, dispatchers are the “unseen first responders,” diligently working behind the scenes to ensure prompt and effective assistance during emergencies.
“We are a small family here,” Harbison said. “Our main goal is at the end of the day for all of our responders to go home safely.”
Dunbar echoed the sentiment, saying once dispatching gets in your blood, it becomes a lifelong commitment.
“I think you have a really strong sense of community,” Dunbar said. “You want to be a servant of the community and to help others.”
The dispatch center is presently seeking candidates, and those interested can arrange to shadow dispatchers by reaching out to the center directly.
Learn about current efforts to continue to protect the 4.9 GHz Band for public safety as well as recent filings, key decisions impacting these efforts, and how you can support PSSA’s initiative to protect the 4.9 GHz band for public safety.
