Test of Johnson County Emergency Notification System (JCENS) to take place this Friday (IA)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center (JECC) and the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) will conduct a test of the Johnson County Emergency Notification System (JCENS) on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

Johnson County uses the JCENS high-speed telephone emergency notification services for mass public safety notices such as lost persons, amber alerts or emergency evacuations or other priority messages during times of crisis. The JCENS system gives officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification and information messages to targeted areas or the entire county… READ MORE

New 911 pilot program underway in Okaloosa County (FL)

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (PRESS RELEASE) – The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is one of the first agencies in the country to implement a new Motorola Solutions 9-1-1 pilot program that allows citizens to send video, photographs, and recordings directly to dispatchers in the Communications Unit via their cell phones.

“With a few extra clicks, dispatchers can send the 9-1-1 caller a link to use to provide secure video or images in a controlled environment in real time so we can see what they are seeing,” said OCSO Asst. Communications Director Audrey Adams… READ MORE

Transitional 911 systems have ‘very, very broad attack surface,’ working group warns

Members of a federal working group to guide the nation’s transition to an IP-based 911 system warned during a virtual event Wednesday that the emergency call system has a particularly large attack surface during this transitional period.

States and their emergency call centers have been upgrading their equipment and regional telecommunications infrastructure for several years in anticipation of next-generation 911, which will allow sharing of data like photos and videos… READ MORE 

NENA Applauds U.S. House Approval of Communications and Technology Bills

The following statements may be attributed to Dan Henry, Regulatory Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for NENA: The 9-1-1 Association:

“America’s 9-1-1 community is encouraged by the U.S. House of Representatives votes this week to ensure a resilient communications network amid the coronavirus pandemic. We commend Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) for their advocacy on behalf on these common sense, bipartisan improvements to our nation’s telecommunications system.”

FCC Chairman’s 4.9 GHz plan faces opposition from public safety

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai wants to make more efficient use of the 4.9 GHz band, of which 50 megahertz was designated for public safety use back in 2002. But he’s facing opposition from a slew of public safety organizations.

The item, which is on the FCC’s open meeting agenda for September 30, would give states the right to lease 4.9 GHz spectrum to commercial entities, electric utilities and others. According to the chairman, only about 3.5% of potential licensees – or less than 1 out of 25 – are actually using the 4.9 GHz spectrum due to the licensing structure…