Behind the Tape: Emergency Communications (FL)
In the newest episode of Behind the Tape, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno gives you a look at the hardworking men and women in our communications division.
Defense bill does not include language to reclassify 911 telecommunicators
Language that would reclassify public-safety telecommunicators as “Protective Service Occupation” personnel instead of administrative/clerical workers will not be part of a key defense funding bill, but 911 advocates expressed their intent to continue the reclassification effort through other legislative efforts in 2020.
911 telecommunicator reclassification language was one a many amendments included in the House version of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but this language was not part of the Senate version of the legislation, according to Brian Fontes, CEO of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).
New: DC 911 takes almost 10-minutes to dispatch firefighters to a subway tunnel fire (DC)
Tuesday was a bad day from start to finish for riders on Metro’s Red Line subway. There were at least three smoke/fire incidents during rainy weather. The first one impacted the morning rush hour and two others disrupted train traffic for the evening trip home. None of the incidents ended up being significant fires and no injuries were reported. The fires were related to the ongoing arcing, sparking, smoking and burning issues Metro has long experienced in some of the rail system’s electrical components.
Unfortunately–as has become the rule rather than the exception–the combination of Washington, DC’s 911 center and Metro’s Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC) resulted in delays dispatching DC Fire & EMS to all three of these incidents. The longest delay, by far, was at the hands of the DC’s Office of Unified Communications (OUC or 911 center) during the day’s second incident.
OUC has a long history of dispatching firefighters and EMS to rail and other emergencies. The current 911 director, Karima Holmes,was recently questioned by DC Council members about a 4-minute dispatch delay to a deadly house fire. Holmes wasn’t able to provide good answers….
‘We’re able to empower our callers to act:’ New dispatch system in Wauwatosa could save more lives (WI)
WAUWATOSA — The Wauwatosa Dispatch Center is utilizing new technology, allowing them to be more efficient and effective in responding to emergency calls.
The system is called Emergency
Medical Dispatching (EMD). It’s software used in both Milwaukee and West
Allis. When calls come in, dispatchers go through a list of protocols
to get valuable information so they can help save lives over the phone.
“Potentially, a minute into your call, we could be starting the procedure of getting hands on chest,” Tami Engelken, Dispatch Supervisor said. “Before, our city had an amazing response time and still has an amazing response time but I’m narrowing those minutes down and adding to minutes to hands on chest and you’re saving that person.”
County moves up Central Communications fix following weekend equipment failure (NJ)
WESTAMPTON — An upgrade to the county’s Public Safety Center was moved up after an equipment failure caused a temporary power outage and shutdown of Central Communications and its dispatch system.
The power outage happened just before 9:30 a.m. Sunday and prompted incoming 911 calls to be rerouted to Camden County’s dispatch center until power in the Westampton building was restored.
Burlington County’s Central Communications system was down for about an hour, and Camden County was able to dispatch all police, fire and emergency personnel.
