by AllThingsECC.com | Feb 17, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded AT&T four separate contracts for modernized communications capabilities to help FEMA improve its ability to deliver its mission to help people before, during, and after disasters.
The four Task Orders, awarded via the General Services Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract, are valued at more than ~$167 million over five years if all options are exercised.
In awarding these agreements, FEMA selects AT&T as its single integrated communications provider for the vast majority of its telecommunications services. These awards allow FEMA to identify and acquire advanced communications capabilities quickly and efficiently…
by AllThingsECC.com | Feb 16, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
Not many people can understand or empathize with the things first responders encounter during an emergency or even on a daily basis. Public safety service comes with great personal sacrifice, and many first responders silently carry the burden. Trauma can be difficult to discuss with others. First responders are dedicated to protecting others and too often, put themselves at the bottom of the priority list.
People don’t call 9-1-1 because they’re having a good day. And those experiences, those images that stay rooted in the mind, take a toll. Compared to the general population, first responders experience higher rates of depression, post-traumatic stress, burnout, anxiety and other mental health issues. And in law enforcement, one study found a more than 20-year difference in life expectancy compared to the average American male…
by AllThingsECC.com | Feb 16, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
- By: David Buchanan, Director of Public Safety Engagement, First Responder Network Authority
As a part of the COVID-19 response, first responders are turning to FirstNet-enabled devices to make emergency communications efficient and effective during this critical time. From connecting socially distant 9-1-1 call takers to coordinating logistics for distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) across state lines, FirstNet-enabled devices have played a supporting role in mitigating health risks in communities across the nation. The network’s mission critical capabilities, like priority and preemption, are allowing first responders to send and receive information seamlessly.
Here are some of their stories.
READ FULL ARTICLE
by ECC Editor | Feb 14, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
Public-safety agencies and organizations and originating service providers (OSPs) sparred over FCC authority and cost responsibility in comments on a National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA) petition asking the commission to help advance the next-generation 9-1-1 transition (NG 9-1-1) in the U.S.
The NASNA petition requested that the commission begin a rulemaking or inquiry to help facilitate the implementation of and transition to NG 9-1-1 services. The NASNA petition asked for four specific FCC actions… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Feb 14, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
The modern smartphone is a marvel of technology, packing huge computing power and a variety of hardware components into a package that fits in the palm of your hand.
Over the passage of time, communication technology has grown by leaps and bounds, and mobile phones today can even work in very remote locations. However, have you ever wondered how your phone can make emergency calls, even if you’re out of network signal?
You may have seen the message, “No network signal. Emergency calls only,” appear on your phone. But how can your phone make emergency calls without a signal? Let’s find out! … READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Feb 10, 2022 | Articles, Comm Center News
First, I want to thank everyone who has responded to our survey. It will be up for a few more weeks, so please take a few minutes to fill it out if you have not done so.
Spending a few minutes on this survey will help us make sure we are addressing what you are interested in and identify some early trends from your responses. I believe this information will be of great interest to all of us and I will share more interesting (anonymous) results with you.
Some of the first feedback is that this survey seems to be designed to elicit responses from the public-safety community but it does not include questions for the vendor community. This observation is correct. I am working on a second survey designed for vendors of devices, applications, and more. It is important for both public-safety and vendor communities to respond to surveys such as this. I expect much of what we learn from the first survey will be of interest to the vendor community and, likewise, the public-safety community will gain insights from the results of the vendor survey. Stay tuned…
