by ECC Editor | Jul 9, 2020 | Comm Center News
The City of Waynesboro Emergency Communications Center has added the capability of receiving 911 Emergency Calls by Text. Commonly referred to as Text-2-911, this technology allows anyone with a text capable cell phone to text 911 to report an emergency when making a voice call is not possible. This is accomplished by entering 911 in the To: box in your message app on your cell phone, typing your messaging, and tapping send. Once the call is received the 911 dispatcher can text with… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Jul 9, 2020 | Comm Center News
KALAMAZOO, MI — County commissioners debated what Kalamazoo frontline workers deserved to receive the hazard pay recently offered by the state, ultimately deciding to apply for the potential $171,000 reimbursement.
Eligible employees include law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 9-1-1 operators, local unit of government corrections officers, airport public safety officers, certain ambulance services staff, and private EMTS and paramedics that contract with municipalities or hospitals… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Jul 9, 2020 | Comm Center News
NORFOLK – Norfolk City Council unanimously passed a resolution to establish a Joint Communications Center and a Joint Advisory Committee for dispatch services between the City of Norfolk and Madison County.
The joint venture is designed to consolidate dispatching for both the City of Norfolk and Madison county into a single area of operation.
Norfolk Police Chief Donald Miller says the move will eliminate needless redundancies in police operation, and save some much-needed funds for the department… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 9, 2020 | Articles, Comm Center News
The Federal Communications Commission is usually enthusiastic about opening up additional spectrum for commercial use. Not in the case of the T-Band—which has long been used by public safety agencies in some major cities, but under a Congressional mandate, has to be auctioned off by February 2021.
FCC Chair Ajit Pai has repeatedly asked Congress to scuttle the so-called T-Band mandate, arguing that between the cost of moving users out of the band and the disruption to public safety communications, it’s not worth it. While there is bipartisan opposition to a T-Band auction and some legislation has been proposed that would include a repeal of the mandate, so far Congress hasn’t passed anything that lets the FCC off the hook for a T-Band auction. So the agency recently proposed rules (pdf) for the reallocation of the T-Band spectrum at 470-512 MHz…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 9, 2020 | Comm Center News
The Manitoba provincial 911 dispatch centre in Brandon has a new tool to help track down people lost or injured in rural areas.
People can be located relatively quickly in urban areas with a street address, but the process is much harder for emergency dispatchers when someone calls from a rural area, said the City of Brandon’s director of emergency communications, Robert Stewart. People may have no idea where they are or can’t see any identifiable landmarks…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 9, 2020 | Comm Center News |
An emergency dispatcher picks up a call from a mother who says her adult son is angry and breaking things at home, but he may not react well to police officers.
In most cities, armed officers would be first at the scene, but in Eugene, Ore., there’s another option called CAHOOTS, a community-based crisis intervention service that pairs medics with mental health specialists…
