Every year, the United States faces deadly hurricanes, wildfires, and other grave disasters, which require a well-coordinated emergency response effort to save lives and mitigate the destruction. Communication is critical in implementing such a response, from the local communities up to the FEMA Director and the President…
By Sandy Dyre
Courtesy of DATAMARK
GIS is dispatching
Anyone who is an advocate for education and knowledge for public safety 911 professionals knows that with the right instruction, information, and tools, the public safety 911 dispatcher can be the determinant between a “good call” and a “bad call” as the ability to understand the situation, coordinate the resources, and provide valuable information is necessary. To best prepare our dispatchers to support the 911 call and the first responder, they are provided the tools and knowledge needed to be successful…
By Paul Patrick
As the COVID-19 virus impacts communities across the world, America’s healthcare system is being challenged in ways we’ve never seen.
This pandemic is shifting the paradigm for where our healthcare delivery takes place. For many of us working in EMS or other public safety disciplines, we are witnessing a dramatic rise in the use of telemedicine to combat this global pandemic.
FirstNet, the nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to America’s first responders, plays a critical role in connecting first responders and medical professionals through a reliable and secure network, with a particular ability to improve patient care through the use of telemedicine during times like these.
This article appears on emsworld.com dated June 30, 2020.
By Charlotte Whitacre, Senior Public Safety Advisor, Federal & National Programs Public Safety Advocacy, First Responder Network Authority
In the midst of battling wildfires or administering life-saving medical care, first responders should not be burdened with the intricacies behind a secure communications system. Now with FirstNet, public safety can rest assured the nationwide wireless broadband network offers a comprehensive communications solution that navigates security and authentication procedures so first responders can focus on doing their jobs. READ MORE
When FirstNet was signed into law, The FirstNet Authority was created as an independent authority reporting to the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). It was funded with $7 Billion not from the U.S. Treasury but from proceeds of future spectrum auctions. Designed to be a public/private partnership, FirstNet recognized that the $7 Billion funding was only a “starter kit” to defray some but certainly not all FirstNet network build costs and development of The FirstNet Authority…
A Lesson On How NOT To Use 9-1-1
Around 2:45 a.m. this morning, a 9-1-1 call came in with a female voice heard in the background. The caller said “hello”, but then hung up. Officers went to the approximate area of the call, which was near the Winter Haven Hospital, however didn’t locate anyone. Another call came from the same number at 3 a.m. and a female’s voice was heard once again, however the phone disconnected… READ MORE
