by AllThingsECC.com | May 31, 2021 | Comm Center News
The Sac County Board of Supervisors approved a $4.8 million bond to build a communication tower between Schaller and Early so the county’s first responders have access to the statewide emergency communications network.
Sheriff Ken McClure told The Storm Lake Times the county will shift to a “fully digital” communications system by September 2022, when the communication tower is erected and all of the county’s 196 first responders receive new portable radios. McClure, the ramrod of the bond promotion committee, thanked the board of supervisors for their approval during a meeting in Early last week…
by AllThingsECC.com | May 31, 2021 | Comm Center News
New technology adopted by Owensboro-Daviess County 911 dispatch allows people to send video and photos from smartphones directly to dispatchers.
City-county 911 Director Paul Nave said the technology could help emergency crews prepare their responses to incidents, and the system can also be used to solve crimes.
Last year, $10,000 was allocated in the dispatch center budget to enter into a two-year contract for the “911eye” system. The dispatch center began using the system late last year…
by AllThingsECC.com | May 31, 2021 | Comm Center News
Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Christopher Nunn made a stop in Cordele Wednesday to announce the awarding of a $347,454 grant from the DCA to Crisp County that will allow enhancements of the emergency communications system.
“These funds are designated to help these first responders in your community,” Nunn said. I spent about 20 years as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and we learned how quickly something like a tornado can cripple a community. Fortunately, you already have infrastructure in place — towers on both sides of the county — so this check for 347 thousand and change will go a long way to enhance the resources you already have…
“One of the things we realized years ago was our communications were short,” he said. “We put up a single site tower and when you got on the fringes of that tower, you couldn’t call for help.
“When things go bad out there on the road, you don’t have time to say ‘Crisp One to central. I need help,’”
When the department went to 800-megahertz communication, Hancock said the system wasn’t compatible to communicate with other agencies.
“If you came from Atlanta or Valdosta, you couldn’t talk to a Crisp County deputy,” Hancock said. “This county had the foresight to enhance that system and move the tower to the lake. Then another tower out on 280 East was purchased from the FAA and that allowed us to use ATTACK, a series of channels that every agency in the country has. Now if we have another tornado or any type of disaster, we will be able to communicate with agencies coming to help us out.”
Crisp County Administrator Clark Harrell noted that the money came from state taxes.
“This is a lot of money,” he said. “And this is federal tax money. So that means local taxpayers won’t have to come up with this money out of the general fund. We have seen our share of disasters here and it will certainly help fill in the gap.”
by AllThingsECC.com | May 31, 2021 | Comm Center News, Video
911 dispatchers have some of the most stressful jobs in the world. They are constantly helping people through the toughest moments of their lives. All that stress can lead to high levels of burnout and turnover. That is bad news not just for the dispatchers, but for everyone who needs their help, and city budgets. Researcher Elizabeth Linos at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy has found a simple but effective way to address burnout among dispatchers by giving them a sense of community on the job…
by AllThingsECC.com | May 31, 2021 | Comm Center News, Press Release
Alexandria, VA – Today the Federal Communications Commission adopted an order staying – or suspending – provisions of its rules for the 4.9 GHz spectrum band that would permit licensing of the spectrum for commercial purposes. This action is responsive to requests from the public safety community and warnings that the recent changes to the 4.9 GHz rules would cause problems for emergency communications.
In September 2020, a majority of the FCC – over the objections of then-Commissioner Rosenworcel and Commissioner Starks – approved an order that opened the door to stripping the 4.9 GHz spectrum from public safety. The majority took this action despite significant opposition expressed by multiple major public safety associations including APCO…
