by AllThingsECC.com | Dec 14, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
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…
by AllThingsECC.com | Dec 13, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
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?
by AllThingsECC.com | Dec 13, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
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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by AllThingsECC.com | Dec 10, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
The Federal Communications Commission is looking for information on how to prevent unwanted robocalls from reaching public safety answering points (PSAPs).
FCC first adopted a PSAP Do-Not-Call registry in 2012 to address autodialer-initiated calls, which were tying up public safety lines, diverting critical responder resources from emergency services and impeding the public’s access to emergency lines..
by ECC Editor | Dec 10, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Google is aware of a strange issue with Android and Microsoft Teams that can prevent emergency service calls, such as dialling 9-1-1.
The company posted a detailed response following an investigation into a report about a Pixel device preventing someone from calling 9-1-1. A Reddit user detailed what happened with their Pixel 3 running Android 11 on U.S. carrier Verizon… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Dec 9, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
History shows that times of crisis and disruption are often the driving force behind technological innovation and growth. Nowhere is this more evident than in public safety, where those on the frontlines in law enforcement and emergency response need to adapt quickly to meet the safety and security needs of the communities they serve.
One need not look back more than a few decades for examples. Consider the horrific massacre at Columbine High School in 1999, which led police departments to reassess response tactics and has driven the implementation of “panic buttons” and other technologies connecting schools and first responders. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 exposed limitations in Louisiana’s communications systems and led to investment in a radio system capable of withstanding hurricane force winds and flooding. Just last year, the murder of George Floyd laid bare the need for video to record encounters between law enforcement and the public and sparked the accelerated deployment of body-worn cameras…
