Local 911 dispatchers recall important role during last week’s mass shooting (TX)

Local 911 dispatchers recall important role during last week’s mass shooting (TX)

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – This week is National Tele-Communicators week, a way to honor those who work in dispatch for cities and counties nationwide.

Here in the Brazos Valley, our local dispatchers say this couldn’t come at a better time after a difficult week.

Thursday, dispatch with Brazos County 9-1-1 answered the first calls from people inside Kent Moore Cabinets as a gunman opened fire. Calls, that local dispatchers say they will never forget…

911 Dispatchers Could Get Protective Service Classification

911 Dispatchers Could Get Protective Service Classification


The role of the 911 dispatcher has evolved over the years from that of basically a clerical position to one that involves life-saving measures and knowledge.

A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House last week would reclassify public safety dispatchers from Standard Occupational Classification to a Protective Service Classification, just as police, fire and emergency services are…

National 911 Program publishes resource on NG911 transition for dispatchers

National 911 Program publishes resource on NG911 transition for dispatchers

WASHINGTON — The National 911 Program has published a new resource for dispatchers to better understand Next Generation 911 (NG911) and what to expect as their communications centers make the transition.

“NG911 for Telecommunicators” includes a plain language explanation of what NG911 is and isn’t, information on the changes and benefits NG911 might bring to a dispatcher’s job, advice on how 911 professionals can get involved in the NG911 transition at their center and how to stay updated on the progress of NG911 implementation, according to the National 911 Program. The resource also includes advice on self-care and wellness for public safety telecommunicators.


Public Safety Advocate: Infrastructure Bill–Next-Generation 9-1-1, Rural Broadband; FirstNet MegaRange

This week I will be writing about Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) and the $15 billion bill to fund the build-out that is currently included in the much larger infrastructure bill, the LIFT America Act, which was recently introduced in the House of Representatives. The importance of NG911 cannot be overstated. As I have said many times before, I believe implementing NG911 nationwide is critical to providing our first responders with the information they need as they respond to incidents. I see NG911 as the incoming pipe through which citizens will feed the FirstNet broadband pipe that will enable first responders to receive texts, photographs, and even videos as they are responding to incidents…