by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 9, 2021 | Comm Center News
ST. LOUIS– St. Louis officials are in the process of merging the city’s police, fire, and EMS emergency operations into one call center. It is part of a plan that officials hope will reduce hold time for 911 calls and address a dispatcher shortage.
The city says its 911 system falls below the national industry standards which states 90% of calls be answered within 15 seconds and 95% of calls being answered within 20 seconds.
In St. Louis, 64% of the calls were reportedly being answered in less than 10 seconds between February and May…
by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 9, 2021 | Comm Center News
The Prince William County Department of Public Safety Communications Training Division received a prestigious re-certification for their curriculum. Since 2014 the Prince William County Department of Public Safety Communications has met the training standards for the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International Project 33 Training Program Certification.
Public safety agencies utilize P33 Certification as a formal mechanism to ensure the training program meets with the APCO American National Standards (ANS). APCO is an international standards body and association for the 9-1-1 industry. The County’s strategic plan says the re-certification met the Safe and Secure Community objective to provide a safe and secure community through prevention, readiness, and service excellence…
by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
The county’s 911 emergency dispatchers take hundreds of calls a year. Chances are that sooner or later one of those emergencies may involve you or a loved one. So, do you know when you should call 911? What can you do before an emergency medical services (EMS) team arrives? How to help the EMS team find your location easily? And where might they take you?
Harold Beebout, former president of the Rappahannock County Fire & Rescue Association, answered these and other questions in a Rapp at Home-sponsored community event on Sept. 16. Beebout is also a long-time Emergency Medical Technician and volunteer ambulance driver for the Sperryville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company…
by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 8, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
By Bruce Fitzgerald, Senior Public Safety Advisor, Emergency Management, First Responder Network Authority
The last 18 months have put emergency managers to the test. Managing the pandemic, civil unrest, and natural disasters with reduced budgets and limited resources has required ingenuity, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Relevant, Time-based) practices, strong partnerships, and the help of innovative technologies.
As emergency management agencies turn to mobile broadband tools for greater support, emergency managers are recognizing the need to train, exercise, and properly plan and assess technology usage before, during, and after response. To this end, many emergency managers are looking to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) for help.
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by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
The city of Flagstaff has approved a $2.5 million plan to dispatch mental health professionals instead of police officers to certain calls.
It’s a three-year program that will fund behavioral health specialists and paramedics to respond to specific kinds of calls involving, for example, mental health or public intoxication.
We did it! In a few months, a behavioral health specialist and medic will respond to 9-1-1 calls around mental health and public intoxication, diverting calls that don’t require police presence. Council approved the contract with Terros Health. A defining moment for Flagstaff! …
by AllThingsECC.com | Oct 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
After experiencing serious staff shortages and issues with employee retention, an across-the-board pay increase seems to have helped the York County 911 call center stabilize its payroll.
In February, Matthew Hobson, director of York County 911, said many 911 centers were experiencing staff shortages. When that happens, the remaining workers must pick up the burden of covering additional shifts.
“Ideally we would like to have call takers and dispatchers, but we’ve had to do double duty,” said Ted Czech, external affairs officer of the York County Office of Emergency Management…
