Midland faces dispatcher shortage (TX)

by | Oct 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

Midland, TEXAS (ABC BIG 2/FOX 24) – As the City of Midland grows, there’s a need to add 911 dispatchers.

” We get major accidents because of all the traffic, crime has picked up a little bit, so we just need staffing to be able to accommodate the city and their needs,” says Public Safety Communications Technical Coordinator Lydia Marquez.

Right now, they’re understaffed and actively hiring for ten people to join their team. It can be a tough job, since these dispatchers cover a lot of ground…

County to spend more than $550K on comms (IA)

by | Oct 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

Emergency communication in Jackson County soon may improve with the purchase of new equipment for law enforcement and dispatch.

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to spend an estimated $550,000 to buy new dispatch consoles at a recent meeting. The action jumpstarts a project that over time will allow all emergency personnel in the county and across the state to more easily communicate with each other.

The county will get help from area municipalities, federal COVID dollars, and possibly grants to complete the project…

Short-staffed 911 call centers lead to longer waits in emergencies (CA)

Short-staffed 911 call centers lead to longer waits in emergencies (CA)

by | Oct 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

SACRAMENTO, CA- – “There’s somebody trying to break into my house, it looks like one person, please send someone,” said a frantic Sacramento County resident during a recent 911 call.

Every year, more than 850,000 calls are made to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, where dispatchers work 10-hour shifts four days a week at the call center.

However, the department is faced with a challenge other communities across the country are facing in call centers. The department is working on limited staff…

E-911 Board approves hire of new dispatcher (TN)

by | Oct 5, 2021 | Comm Center News

The Cocke County Emergency Communications (E-911) Board of Directors held their quarterly meeting on Tuesday. The board approved the hiring of another 911 dispatcher and the creation of a budget amendment to account for the additional wages.

The meeting’s old business was a continuation of June’s discussion of hiring an additional dispatcher. The salary of the position would be $27,040. With benefits, the position would cost E-911 $38,355…

U.S. Air Force selects FirstNet built with AT&T for communications across 15 bases

by | Oct 5, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News

  • The U.S. Air Force selected FirstNet, built with AT&T (NYSE:T) to deliver communications to its public safety personnel and, for first responders, preemption, on 15 bases across the U.S.
  • The agreement struck between the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and AT&T provides for the delivery of FirstNet connectivity for 21 years: the remaining life of the public-private partnership between the U.S. government and AT&T…

9-1-1 Operators to Graduate from Oregon Public Safety Academy

by | Oct 5, 2021 | Comm Center News

The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training recently announced the graduation of its 126th Basic Telecommunications Class.

The three-week course includes emergency call handling techniques, stress management, civil liability, ethics, criminal law, overview of fire-rescue and law enforcement operations, and a number of other topics. Upon completion of the course, students will return to their employing agency to continue their training for a number of months with a field training officer… READ MORE