911 dispatchers say stress of the job can lead to staff shortages (ND)

SMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – In an emergency when every second counts, 911 dispatchers across the nation are working overtime. The nation is suffering from a shortage of dispatchers at levels not seen in recent memory. That’s according to those within the profession.

911 dispatchers are on the front lines for someone’s very worst day. As a critical part of emergency response, North Dakota dispatchers say it’s important for their staff to be available and mentally prepared for any crisis.

Central Dakota Communications 911 call center (CenCom) is the first point of contact for local fire, police, and ambulance calls… READ MORE

APCO Seeks Working Group Members to Create a New Candidate Standard Titled Common Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Public Safety GIS Identifiers

Alexandria, VA – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International has issued a call for participation for working group members to participate in the creation of a candidate standard titled Common Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Public Safety GIS Identifiers.

CAD systems are the principal application used by public safety agencies to manage law enforcement, fire and EMS incidents from the initial time an incident is reported, to the conclusion of the incident. These systems may be composed of both tabular records management systems and spatial or geographic information (Geofile) systems…

The Park Police’s ‘Dilapidated’ D.C. Dispatch Office Puts Safety at Risk, an IG Says

The Park Police’s ‘Dilapidated’ D.C. Dispatch Office Puts Safety at Risk, an IG Says

The poor condition of the U.S. Park Police’s dispatch center in Washington, D.C., and management issues such as understaffing result in “significant safety concerns,” a watchdog found recently.

The Interior Department inspector general office, led by Inspector General Mark Greenblatt, released a management advisory on Friday about the U.S. Park Police’s dispatch operations center in D.C., which operates 24 hours a day. The Park Police, a unit of the National Park Service, is in charge of law enforcement on NPS properties…

Shortage of dispatchers leaving more 911 callers on hold (CA)

In an emergency when seconds count, a FOX 11 investigation has found that 911 callers are burning seconds, even minutes on hold. 

Experts say it’s a troubling trend nationwide, hold times getting longer because of a shortage of dispatchers. We worked with our sister stations across the country to see how LA and other cities compared. In Tampa, numbers obtained by FOX 13 show no wait, with dispatchers there consistently meeting their goal. It was different scene in Philadelphia, where FOX 26 showed 24,000 callers last year waited one and half to two minutes… READ MORE

Changes coming for 911 callers in Wake County (NC)

Wake County is switching up how it handles 911 calls, employing nurses to help answer the phones.

People who call 911 for something that only turns out to be a small health problem could end up riding in an ambulance and paying an expensive bill afterward, but the nurse navigation program launching Tuesday could help eliminate costs.

A telecommunicator will decide if the emergency is urgent or life-threatening. If the call is non-life-threatening, the call will be transferred to a nurse navigator, who will help direct the caller to the best medical response… READ MORE

Broadcastify CEO: Chicago Police Will Be Broadcasting Their 13 Encrypted Zones Officially on Broadcastify (IL)

Broadcastify CEO: Chicago Police Will Be Broadcasting Their 13 Encrypted Zones Officially on Broadcastify (IL)

Chicago Police Department SUV blocking an intersection in the Albany Park neighborhood in Chicago
Chicago Police Department SUV blocking an intersection in the Albany Park neighborhood in Chicago.

Lindsay Blanton, CEO of Broadcastify.com and RadioReference.com announced Tuesday morning, February 22, 2022 on the websites’ Chicago Metro Area Discussion forum that the police department will be broadcasting their 13 encrypted zones officially on Broadcastify. Currently there are 13 official zones available on the old (current) radio system. Apparently the official broadcasts from the City of Chicago recently appeared before a member on the forum posted, “wow 13 official live scanner audio feeds on Broadcastify (referring to Chicago). Most of the feeds on Broadcastify in the United States are available from unofficial volunteers who use radio scanners to provide and upload of local police and/or fire communications. TV news stations frequently use audio recordings from Broadcastify to support their news reports…