by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 14, 2025 | Comm Center News
SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane is moving forward with plans to create its own Emergency Communications Center to serve as the city’s primary 911 dispatch hub.
According to the City of Spokane’s draft agenda, the City Council is considering an ordinance that would establish the department, which would handle all emergency calls initiated within city limits. The measure would also update city code, replacing references to the former Combined Communications Center and creating a dedicated Emergency Communications Center Fund to manage revenues and spending.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 14, 2025 | Comm Center News
In emergency response, the heroes are often pictured on the front lines: the police officer arriving at a chaotic scene or the firefighter rushing into a burning building. Yet, historically, the very first “first responder” has been the calm voice on the other end of a 911 call — the dispatcher. The immense value of these communication experts can go underappreciated, and their critical role in the outcome of an incident may be overlooked. Now, innovative technologies like Drone as First Responder (DFR) are not only revolutionizing emergency response but also breaking down long-standing silos between dispatch and field operations, forging a stronger, more unified force.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 13, 2025 | Comm Center News
By Roxy VanGundy
Kansas Unveils a Game-Changer for 911 Centers Across the State
If you’ve ever worked in 911, especially as an administrator, you know one of the most persistent thoughts lurking in the back of your mind is: What if?
What if the phones crash?
What if a tornado hits the building?
What if we get overrun with calls we can’t keep up with?
What if… everything goes dark?
Those “what ifs” are more than just hypotheticals for 911 administrators—they’re scenarios we have to plan for, over and over again. And they’re not always the big, cinematic disasters you see on the news. Sometimes it’s something as sneaky and silent as a lightning strike. Or as unrelenting as a Kansas windstorm.
In rural public safety communications, we don’t just worry about field operations—we worry about internal survivability. COVID taught us that lesson hard. Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) wasn’t just a good idea anymore—it became non-negotiable.
Real-World Chaos, Real-World Pressure
Not long ago, a massive wildfire tore through several miles of our county—closing major highways, threatening homes, and overwhelming our small center with a surge of 911 calls and massive radio traffic.
Every year, we brace ourselves for our biggest public event, when more than 20,000 people flood into the heart of our city. But what happens when that event doesn’t go as planned—when it suddenly becomes a national headline? In those moments, we know one thing for sure: we’re going to need backup.
Here’s the truth: Unlike some of our larger counterparts in other states, we don’t have a secondary dispatch center. Sure, we’ve got bug-out bags—clipboards, printed maps, maybe a hotspot—but nothing that could sustain us through hours or days of being displaced. We don’t have extra seats. We don’t have a ton of spare radios. And CAD redundancy? Not without a miracle or a major budget overhaul.
It’s not that we don’t want those things—we just can’t afford them.
Enter: Kansas 911’s Rolling Lifeline
This is where Kansas stands out. Our State 911 Board isn’t just focused on the core services of Next Generation 911—they’re looking beyond. In May 2025, the Kansas State 911 Board, in partnership with the FirstNet Authority, unveiled something truly game-changing: the Emergency Mobile Dispatch and Training Center (EMDTC).
This isn’t your average trailer. This climate-controlled, high-tech mobile center is equipped with five fully functional dispatch workstations, complete with access to the Kansas Statewide Interoperable Radio System and multiple CAD and phone platforms. It’s supported by industry leaders like AT&T, RapidDeploy, and Motorola—and it’s ready to roll.
If a 911 center in Kansas goes down? This trailer can be their center.
If a rural agency needs additional seats during an incident or large event? This trailer can supplement.
If a small county needs hands-on training but can’t afford to lose people to travel? The EMDTC comes to them—offering on-site instruction, minimal disruption, and major savings.
When You Have Nothing Else, this is Everything
The addition of this unit isn’t just “cool tech.” It’s reassurance. It’s options. It’s a sense of backup for centers like mine that have historically had to cross our fingers and make do.
It’s also a reminder that rural PSAPs aren’t forgotten. That someone is thinking of our needs, our constraints, and our safety—not just the urban giants. The Kansas State 911 Board didn’t just imagine a shiny new toy—they delivered a critical tool designed with real-world needs in mind.
As a 911 Director, I sleep better knowing that this resource exists. I hope we never have to use it—but I’m beyond thankful it’s there.
Because in 911, it’s not a matter of if something happens. It’s when. And now, we’re just a little more ready.
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 13, 2025 | Comm Center News
MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Law enforcement now has its own communications network that allows them to never compete with commercial traffic, especially during emergency situations.
On Wednesday, AT&T* and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) joined local first responders, public safety officials and community leaders in Marion County.
