by ECC Editor | Apr 2, 2020 | Articles
The work of emergency communications personnel is emotionally charged. Whether it’s working with callers, field units or fellow coworkers, the emotional dimension is often the most individually impactful, yet also the most overlooked.
In fact, a career in public safety necessarily causes each of us to be less empathetic and less perceptive when it comes to understanding this hidden side. Working with people who are experiencing traumatic situations, as an emergency communications professional does every day, changes one’s perceptions of the world, and can even make you “feel dead inside,” as one 9-1-1 dispatcher succinctly put it. Coined “emotional numbing,” it’s the natural… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Apr 1, 2020 | Articles
SALT LAKE CITY — Some recently retired workers are being called on to help.
Governor Gary Herbert issued an executive order that lifts limits on retired government workers so they can return to essential positions needed right now.
[…] The department is looking for retired law enforcement officers to fill positions including jail health services administrator, 9-1-1 communications center director and paramedics… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Apr 1, 2020 | Articles
Equipment failure — and not increased demand— was blamed for the latest service disruption to Telus Mobility customers.
On Tuesday morning, Telus experienced an equipment failure that caused a service interruption in parts of Western Canada affecting wireless services and some wire-line customers,” stated the company.
The cause of the outage was identified and service restored within an hour… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Mar 31, 2020 | Articles
In addition to a multitude of well-chronicled policy, staffing and supply challenges facing the health-care sector amid the COVID-19 crisis, the outbreak is forcing agencies to consider atypical measures to ensure the health of public-safety communications systems and the people who support them.
“Business as usual … kind of ceases to exist,” Greg Rubin, communications chief for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, said last week, describing the new reality that government entities face as they try to adapt plans to account for … READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Mar 30, 2020 | Articles, Comm Center News
To better assist first responders responding to emergencies during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) Executive Director Rich Guidice today urged Chicago’s residents to sign up for Smart911, a free, voluntary and secure service that allows individuals and families to provide critical medical information when they call 9-1-1. By creating a Safety Profile that is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, the service allows residents to self-identify to first responders if they … READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Mar 29, 2020 | Articles
Emergency dispatch has never been more essential.
With mandates requiring tens of thousands of city residents to remain indoors in attempts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the staff at the Santa Barbara Police Department’s Public Safety Dispatch Center continue to answer the call of duty — albeit with some procedural adjustments.
Lorena Renteria has served as the voice on the other line for the past 23 years. She’s experienced quite a bit over the time and knows just how vital her job is… READ MORE
