PITTSBURGH – A 911 dispatcher says she was fired in retaliation after reporting a co-worker who fell asleep on the job.
Maureen Beaumont on June 28 accused Allegheny County Emergency Services of retaliation in a lawsuit filed in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleasciting the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Act.
The suit states Beaumont, who worked as a 911 dispatcher for the
defendant since 2015, filed a report against a fellow dispatcher,
Jessica Bayton, in September 2018 over allegations that Bayton regularly
fell asleep during her shift. Beaumont alleged she submitted it as a
concerned citizen, not as a colleague.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY — In an emergency, when every minute could be the
difference between life and death, a dispatcher’s voice is the first
thing many people hear.
Four-year San Joaquin County sheriff’s dispatcher Matthew Sieperda
was on the other end of a call from the Mokelumne River, remaining calm
in the chaos.
“See what their needs are, what they need from me in order to
reassure them that we’re getting help to them and that I’m here to
help,” Sieperda said.
A raft with three women on board was taking on water.
RIVER VALLEY (KNWA) — The 9-1-1 system for Johnson, Pope, Logan and Franklin Counties is out of service.
Service will resume tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 16. A specific time has yet to be determined.
Rick Covert with Franklin County Emergency Management said issues
began at 3:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 when an AT&T cable ruptured. He
said there were also issues with Century Link components. Century Link
is the internet provider.
Covert added that both companies are working diligently to get necessary parts to fix the issues.
When a person dials 9-1-1, calls are directed to the nearest
dispatching center, but because the system is down, calls will be routed
to Crawford County dispatchers.
Work on Roanoke’s new, $15.7 million Emergency Communications Center
is expected to be complete by the end of the year, according to E911
Center Manager, Sonya Roman. Work started on the 31,000-square-foot
joint facility which will house both the City of Roanoke E911 Center and
Virginia811 (i.e. Miss Utility).
The partnership was born of a mutual need for better space for
similar functions, dispatching professionals in response to incoming
calls. The City of Roanoke 911 Center fields approximately 250,000
emergency calls annually and Virginia 811 approximately 1.25 million
calls (for marking underground utilities). Both agencies operate 24-7.
Emergency
service dispatchers in Phoenix are gearing up for a meeting with city
officials in an attempt to shore up emergency funding for staff, new
systems and therapy resources as nationally, dispatchers are awaiting a
decision in Washington D.C. that could impact how they are classified.
Currently, 911 dispatchers in Arizona
and across the nation are not considered first responders. Instead,
they are generally considered clerical or administrative staff.
TAMPA, Fla. — A
family in Tampa has a lot to celebrate — a new bundle of joy who made a
surprise appearance and her 9-year-old brother who helped it happen.
Princess Anntte Brantley’s family says she was born on August 6, weighing 6 lb. 14 oz.
“I see that she’s cute and I think, I think she’s having a good dream,” her big brother, Lindell Lyons, said.
Learn about current efforts to continue to protect the 4.9 GHz Band for public safety as well as recent filings, key decisions impacting these efforts, and how you can support PSSA’s initiative to protect the 4.9 GHz band for public safety.
