New York Power Authority pilots private LTE network with AT&T – Smart Energy International

by | Feb 18, 2022 | Comm Center News

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and communications provider AT&T agreed to pilot AT&T’s FirstNet technologies as part of a NYPA private wireless Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology pilot project.

FirstNet is a nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform for first responders and the extended public safety community. By having a dedicated network, first responders may be better assured that their message will go out during an emergency and will not be bogged down by public network congestion…

Talks continue around proposed regional emergency dispatch program (MA)

by | Feb 18, 2022 | Comm Center News

REGION – A regional emergency dispatch system is still in the works in the area. But it’s still a long way away from coming to fruition.

“There’s a tremendous amount of preliminary work before public officials can make a decision about something like this,” Hudson Fire Chief Bryan Johannes told the Community Advocate last week. 

First pitched last year, the proposed dispatch would include Hudson, Marlborough, Westborough, Northborough, Grafton, Hopkinton and Southborough… 

APCO Announces Final Approval of American National Standard

by | Feb 18, 2022 | Comm Center News

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International received final approval from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on February 14, 2022, for a newly created American National Standard (ANS) titled Managing Operational Overload in the Emergency Communications Center (ECCs).

In today’s environment, emergency communications centers (ECCs) regularly experience situations where workload has the potential to overwhelm personnel. This standard provides ECCs with best practices for planning, mitigating and handling operational overload…

A nationwide 911 operator shortage has Milwaukee considering raising pay (WI)

by | Feb 18, 2022 | Comm Center News

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee, the county and the country are struggling to find the people many of us count on to be on the other side of the phone in an emergency, the 911 operators. In order to try to hire more people to do the job, the city is asking the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to raise salaries, in some cases by $15,000, in hopes of attracting more people to the job.

In Milwaukee County, Christopher McGowan, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Deputy Director, says they are nearly at full staff. But they have a problem keeping 911 operators…

Work continues on backup for Vigo 911 dispatch center (IN)

by | Feb 18, 2022 | Comm Center News

Still-functional equipment will be re-used following upgrades occurring in Vigo County’s 911 Central Dispatch Center.

Director Vickie Oster told the E911 Advisory Board on Wednesday the replaced equipment will be installed in the county’s backup dispatch center, which was built into the new city police headquarters on South Seventh Street.

“I’m so excited because we could be over there and set up within 30 minutes to an hour,” Oster said of any need to relocate the dispatch center in case of power loss or other emergency. “And it would be just like we are in dispatch here…