By Margaret Gutierrez, National Tribal Government Liaison, First Responder Network Authority
Twenty years ago, the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation revealed fundamental problems with our emergency communications systems. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics could not communicate across radio systems, and cell towers were congested with commercial usage. First responders’ inability to communicate on that fateful day underscored significant public safety communication shortfalls nationwide – including on tribal lands. READ FULL ARTICLE
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) – The country is experiencing a shortage of first responders. That shortage has reached Eastern Kentucky. In Pikeville, firefighters, police officers, EMS workers, and dispatchers have all been hard to come by, but some have resolved the issue quickly within the city.
“I know that we were short-handed a while back,” said Pikeville PD Public Information Officer Tony Conn, “but we’re at full staff now we’re lucky enough we’re at full staff.”
Officials with the Pikeville Fire Department say the station is currently short-staffed, but are making do with the firefighters and EMS workers the station currently has and are currently searching for more hires following two recent retirements. Pikeville Dispatch is also currently searching for trained telecommunicators to fill out their dispatch center. Officials are also hopeful this issue will resolve itself soon…
HARBOR SPRINGS — Victor Sinadinoski, Harbor Springs city manager, will represent both that city and Petoskey on the Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Emmet 911 Central Dispatch Authority board.
The new appointment follows the departure of Rob Straebel, the former Petoskey city manager, who previously held the seat. The bylaws of the dispatch authority board, which oversees 911 services for the tri-county, call for one representative per county to serve on behalf of local municipalities, based on the approval from city leaders…
Kitsap voters approved adding a sales-and-use tax of one-tenth of 1% to replace Kitsap 911’s emergency radio system, according to initial results reported by the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday night.
In Tuesday’s result, 66.3% voted “yes” to raise the sales tax, while 33.7% voted “no”.
“I’m thrilled,” Kitsap 911 Director Richard Kirton said Tuesday night. “We’re so pleased that the voters expressed their trust (for the 911 center) in this way.”
With the result, the county’s sales tax rate will reach 9.1% in 2022. In the past, the tax rate has been increased by 0.3% for Kitsap Transit fast ferries and by 0.1% for mental health treatment…
Nov. 1—After a nationwide search, the interim director will take on the official title as the new director of the Weld County Regional Communications Center.
Tina Powell will step up as the director of county’s communications center after serving as the interim director since the August resignation of Mike Wallace, who previously occupied the role, according to a Weld County Board of Commissioners release.
“Being a part of this regional communications center team, I fully understand the commitment to hard work and dedication it takes to ensure we continue to provide the best service to residents in need,” Powell said… “
These call takers would work side by side with dispatchers but would not actually be dispatchers. Call takers are the first person people hear when they call 911.
“You go to be able to multitask, you got to be able to listen and type at the same time while taking accurate details of what’s going on,” said Huntsville Police Sgt. Ricky Stephen…
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.
