Public Safety Advocate: Storms, Future Communications, FirstNet Gains

The only way to start this week’s Advocate is to thank all first responders, volunteers, and the many others who struggled to save lives in mid-America in the aftermath of tornados. In the evening of December 10, the longest track tornado on record traveled at least 275 miles. The many tornados in the Midwest that night took many lives, left many people injured, many were left homeless, and an unimaginable amount of property was destroyed…

FirstNet Connects First Responders After Tornado Outbreak

By Jason Porter, President, Public Sector and FirstNet, AT&T

This past weekend, severe storms and deadly tornadoes devastated the Midwest, destroying homes and demolishing city centers. And while every disaster is different, there is one constant: the brave women and men on the frontlines who respond and restore the communities they serve. From firefighters, paramedics and law enforcement to the extended public safety community on the ground, the ability to seamlessly talk with one another is critical. That’s why America’s first responders advocated for the creation of FirstNet® – the only network built with and for first responders providing them with always-on priority and true preemption capabilities.

And now, FirstNet, Built with AT&T is delivering connectivity for the first responders our communities count on the most.  READ MORE

Where do 911 fees go? Key statistics from the FCC’s annual 911 fee report (Part 2)

Each year for the past 12 years, the Federal Communications Commission has gathered information from states and territories about their 911 fee collection, distribution and general operations and put it together in a report to Congress. Usually published in early December of each year, the most recently available report from 2020 covers the calendar year from January 1- December 31 of 2019.

Here are some of the key statistics from the 2020 annual 911 fee report, related to 911 funding around the country for the more than 5,300 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) who answered more than 211.1 million 911 calls during the course of 2019… READ MORE

Utilities ask FCC to delay opening of 6 GHz to protect public safety

Utilities ask FCC to delay opening of 6 GHz to protect public safety

Published on December 10, 2021 by Hil Anderson

A coalition of utility groups and other current occupants of the 6 GHz communications band filed a pair of petitions with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week to block an expected tidal wave of the new “6G” generation of consumer electronics from moving into their currently exclusive neighborhood.

The Edison Electric Institute and American Public Power Association were among a dozen associations that signed the official request for rulemaking submitted to the FCC along with an 11th-hour request for a stay of any pending approvals for a new generation of unlicensed 6G routers and other wireless devices that will generate a blizzard of electronic interference that will blind thousands of microwave links that currently operate on the 6 gigahertz (GHz) band and are used by utilities to monitor and maintain the electricity grid and other vital communications…

First responders, holiday blues and Vitamin D

That first whiff of fresh-cut pine; the overabundance of pumpkin-spiced everything; a gentle glow of candle flame and the infectious giddiness of a child’s anticipation – the holiday season can certainly be a joyous time! However, for those in public safety and shift work, late-October to mid-January is not all greeting cards and the Hallmark Channel specials. This time of year often means missing family, dealing with estranged loved ones and a dramatic rise in seasonal depression and anxiety.

Protecting your mental health is challenging when the holidays can conspire against it. Feeling left out and tense is more common than not for those in police, fire, corrections and emergency medicine. What can be done to give a spirit boost in the season of cheer?

Standing in Support of New Mexico’s Hometown Heroes

By Thomas Randall, Senior Public Safety Advisor for New Mexico, First Responder Network Authority

Every day first responders step out into the frontlines to protect and serve their communities. In the last decade, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMS professionals nationwide rarely responded to incidents without bringing their mobile devices.

The tech revolution has made it possible for first responders to do things previously not imagined. Nowadays, first responders load their mobile phones with apps to wield drones during search and rescue missions, monitor tornadoes, pull up floor plans in burning buildings, and much more.

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