The role of the 911 dispatcher has evolved over the years from that of basically a clerical position to one that involves life-saving measures and knowledge.
A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House last week would reclassify public safety dispatchers from Standard Occupational Classification to a Protective Service Classification, just as police, fire and emergency services are…
WASHINGTON — The National 911 Program has published a new resource for dispatchers to better understand Next Generation 911 (NG911) and what to expect as their communications centers make the transition.
“NG911 for Telecommunicators” includes a plain language explanation of what NG911 is and isn’t, information on the changes and benefits NG911 might bring to a dispatcher’s job, advice on how 911 professionals can get involved in the NG911 transition at their center and how to stay updated on the progress of NG911 implementation, according to the National 911 Program. The resource also includes advice on self-care and wellness for public safety telecommunicators.
This week I will be writing about Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) and the $15 billion bill to fund the build-out that is currently included in the much larger infrastructure bill, the LIFT America Act, which was recently introduced in the House of Representatives. The importance of NG911 cannot be overstated. As I have said many times before, I believe implementing NG911 nationwide is critical to providing our first responders with the information they need as they respond to incidents. I see NG911 as the incoming pipe through which citizens will feed the FirstNet broadband pipe that will enable first responders to receive texts, photographs, and even videos as they are responding to incidents…
United States Fire Administration
It’s been a tough year for everyone, including public safety telecommunicators who have played such an essential role during the COVID-19 pandemic. During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 2021, take a moment to tell the #HeadsetHeroes who somehow get it all done with patience, compassion and a smile on their face, “thank you!” for their vital contributions to the emergency services… READ MORE
NIST said Monday that the prototype is intended to help older Land Mobile Radio towers and handsets benefit from wireless Long-Term Evolution (LTE) capabilities including voice, video, text, instant messaging and other data-related features.
The agency noted that the effort is meant to take advantage of LTE-based, mission-critical “push to talk” capabilities while addressing challenges in transition costs. The LTE element s also meant to support key aspects in public safety communications including speaker identification, clear audio, emergency calling and high reliability and availability, according to NIST…
By Edward Parkinson, Chief Executive Officer, First Responder Network Authority
First responders face incredible challenges to keep our communities safe. This past year it has been especially true as public safety continued to uphold their oath to protect and serve during a worldwide pandemic. While we honor and celebrate these heroes every day, every April and May, we dedicate extra time to thank them for their selflessness and dedication.
Join us as we highlight the commitment and sacrifices made by those in emergency communications, the fire service, law enforcement, and emergency medical services (EMS), as well as our nation’s volunteers and public servants during these annual celebrations:
