Instead of dialing 911, soon you can call 988 for a mental health emergency. But will states be ready?
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will be nationally available as 988 starting July 16, 2022, billed as the “911” for a mental health crisis. But there’s concern many states will not be ready to meet the expected increase in services, according to a recent New York Times report.
“The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is awarding nearly $105 million in grant funding, provided by the American Rescue Plan, to 54 states and territories in advance of the transition of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline from the current 10-digit number to the 988 three-digit dialing code in July,” per the United States Department of Health and Human Services press release…
HOLBROOK, Mass – While one dispatcher takes the 911 call, another dispatcher will direct first responders to the callers’ exact location. That teamwork saves precious seconds.
“Seconds of every day make a difference,” said Lauren Mielke, Holbrook’s deputy director of communications. “If you’re suffering from a medical emergency, those seconds, they feel like minutes, they feel like hours.”
They are, first of all, first responders, when you need help most, they send help as quickly as possible…
Pictured: Front: Tia Brand, Keri Halpin, Cindy Bresse, Kristen Williams, Christine Peterson, Kathleen Mitchell, Katie Herwig, and Christina Valderrama. Back row: Michael Speigle, Daniel Tutko, Kurt A. Hoffman, Jon Goetluck, Brian Woodring, Arik Smith.
Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce several members of the Emergency Operations Bureau were recognized Tuesday by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). During the annual conference held by the Florida Chapter of APCO, Emergency Operations Supervisor Cindy Bresse received the 2021 Supervisor of the Year Award, while the agency’s Incident Dispatch Team received the 2021 Team of the Year Award. Bresse joined the sheriff’s office in 2014 as a Communications Operator and promoted to her current rank in 2020…
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Maria Gilbert of Longview has instructed people on how to deliver babies, give CPR and escape a flooded vehicle, all without being considered a first responder.
Her title is set to change thanks to a new state law that will classify 911 dispatchers as first responders in Washington and create a statewide training and certification for the job. Under the new law, 911 dispatchers at government-run centers will no longer be considered administrative support staffers…
AT&T said Tuesday a new nationwide service will route 911 calls from its wireless subscribers to the closest dispatch center.
Why it matters: 911 calls from wireless phones are typically routed based on the closest cell tower, which means that sometimes callers are transferred from one dispatch center to another when they seek help, introducing potential delay.
What’s happening: The new service will more quickly and accurately identify the location of a wireless 911 call and deliver it to the correct call center, AT&T said in a statement…
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.
