America’s Public Safety Network Surpasses 2.81 Million Square Miles, Expands First Responder Access to 5G and Strengthens Commitment to Mission-Ready Infrastructure (Courtesy of FirstNet and AT&T)
In the nearly 5 years since AT&T was selected by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to build and operate FirstNet®, the company moved quickly to bring more coverage, boost capacity and drive new capabilities for first responders and the communities they serve, whether they be rural, urban and tribal.
To date the public safety community on FirstNet has access to the nation’s largest coverage footprint, reaching more than 2.81 million square miles across the country. That means they cover more than 50,000 square miles above that of the largest commercial networks (about the size of Alabama), enabling more first responders access to an entire ecosystem of innovative solutions to keep them mission ready…
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -Several spoke Monday in favor of Senate Bill 491, which would allow first responders to receive workers’ compensation benefits if they develop PTSD on the job.
Senate Bill 491 would allow workers compensation benefits for treatment, time off, or changing roles if the current role is too stressful.
The bill currently includes law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services. Some supporters also want to include dispatchers… READ MORE
(WAND) – Emergency dispatchers are the first to answer the call for help. But in Illinois, they are categorized as clerical staff – not first responders.
Now, a bill moving through the Illinois Senate could change that.
“Dispatchers are the lifeline, the vital lifeline really, between our citizens and the emergency services that they need,” Desir’ee Wright, communications supervisor for the Central Illinois Regional Dispatch Center (CIRD), told WAND News…
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine has become the first state in New England to create an alert system for missing children with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The Maine Department of Public Safety and supporters of the new system said it addresses a gap in emergency alerts in the state. The new program is part of the state’s silver alert system that was created more than a decade ago to inform the public about missing older residents who suffer from cognitive impairments…
COOS BAY, Ore. – Coos Bay voters will be asked to approve a $20 million bond measure for a new combined library and 911 communications center.
The City Council unanimously approved placing the bond measure on the upcoming May ballot during a meeting this week.
The measure authorizes the city to issue bonds to help pay for a combined library and 911 communications center in John Topits Park. The structure will be approximately 32,700 square feet and is expected to include space for library collections, study and computer locations, as well as community meeting and age-specific programming spaces… READ MORE
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners reviewed several funding requests for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds during their winter retreat on Friday.
So far, Iredell County has received $17,656,842 in ARPA funds, which are provided by the federal government to recover losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A second installment this spring will boost the total to $35,313,684.
Various funding requests have been submitted to the board, but commissioners are waiting to make a final decision on most of the proposals until they learn more about recently announced state grant programs…
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.
