FirstNet touts roll in vaccine distribution

FirstNet touts roll in vaccine distribution

As the U.S. accelerates vaccinations in anticipation of meeting the President’s goal of being ready to open up availability to all adults by May 1, a cross-industry response has been deployed to meet the logistical needs, safety concerns and scale of the mammoth operation. FirstNet, Built with AT&T – the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community – is giving public safety agencies a common, interoperable platform to easily communicate across agencies, jurisdictions and state lines. During the vaccination rollout, FirstNet’s inherent interoperable communications is critical. Through innovative solutions, public safety agencies, local and state governments, and healthcare organizations using FirstNet are helping to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine efficiently and effectively.

Red Deer MLAs vote against a bill to restore local ambulance dispatching (Canada)

Red Deer’s two UCP MLAs chose political partisanship over protecting their constituents’ interests by opposing a bill that would have restored local ambulance dispatching, says Red Deer’s mayor.

Red Deer North MLA Adriana LaGrange and Red Deer South MLA Jason Stephan joined their UCP cohort on Monday by voting against restoring local ambulance service in the legislature — despite a long campaign by Red Deer’s mayor, city council and Emergency Services Chief Ken McMullen to sound the alarm over how consolidated ambulance dispatching jeopardizes public health…

Why Android is emerging as the OS of choice for public safety

Why Android is emerging as the OS of choice for public safety

police officer using wireless device (First Responder Network Authority/Flickr)

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Android has an 85% market share globally, which makes it very user-friendly. It also offers a number of key benefits to enterprise users that aren’t available with other OS options. Of course, migrating agencies to a new technology is not as easy as buying a mobile device from a local retail store or wireless carrier. Public-safety IT professionals should prioritize their unique security and operational needs when shopping for a new mobility solution. Here are some key questions to ask when evaluating the various OS options and comparing consumer-grade, business-grade and enterprise-grade rugged devices…

Ex-OR Fire Chief Brought on for Public Safety Reform

Ex-OR Fire Chief Brought on for Public Safety Reform

Mike Myers, Portland’s former fire chief and the city’s current emergency management director, has been selected to serve as the city’s new community safety transition director.

In his third major job for the city, Myers will be responsible for guiding systemic change in all of Portland’s public safety bureaus, looking for ways to save money by integrating fiscal or other business operations between bureaus and helping to create a public safety strategic plan for the city…

Santa Monica’s Emergency Operations Center Series – Judy Delgado (CA)

Santa Monica’s Emergency Operations Center Series – Judy Delgado (CA)

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency was declared on March 13, 2020.  Once a public health emergency is declared, cities activate an Emergency Operations Center to quickly mobilize staff and resources to best meet the immediate and then ongoing needs of the community throughout the emergency.  For the COVID-19 emergency, staff have been reassigned from their day-to-day duties to critical roles to ensure the City prioritizes the community’s public health and minimizes the risks of COVID-19 exposures at every step…