by ECC Editor | Sep 12, 2021 | Comm Center News
MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) – The Bureau of Emergency Communications is looking into solutions to address high call volumes that translate to long waits for 9-1-1 callers.
In November, 2020, the average wait for an answer when someone called 9-1-1 was 21 seconds, very close to the national standard of 20 seconds. But by May, 2021, the average wait had increased to 42 seconds, and reached 56 seconds by July.
“This is completely unacceptable. I want to be able to provide service,” said BOEC Director Bob Cozzie. “I’m a member of the community. I live in Multnomah County, and my family lives in this community.”
Cozzie said call volume to BOEC increased by more than 20% from July, 2020 to July, 2021. In addition, more than a dozen people on the operations floor either retired, took leaves of absence, were promoted, or resigned… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 12, 2021 | Comm Center News
FOLKSTON, Ga. — The Charlton County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Sheriff Robert Phillips took to social media to announce the death of Lynn Cribb Johnson, a beloved 911 dispatcher.
The sheriff’s office confirmed to Action News Jax that she died after contracting COVID-19.
Johnson was an employee of the sheriff’s office for more than 31 years. Phillips described her as a caring person who showed concern for others like a mother would…
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 12, 2021 | Comm Center News
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Times Recorder will produce a series of Zanesville 2021 stories looking at the challenges facing the city of Zanesville this year and what is being done to overcome them.
ZANESVILLE — After ValueCare notified the Muskingum County EMS Board that it would no longer respond to 911 emergency calls starting Sept. 1, the city has been left with two EMS services to respond to calls — Genesis HealthCare System’s Community Ambulance Service and the Zanesville Fire Department.
Zanesville Fire Department Chief Jeff Bell recently discussed the situation with Zanesville City Council’s public safety committee, suggesting the city consider looking at expanded fire-based EMS service…
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 12, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Proposed budget-reconciliation legislation introduced in the U.S. House calls for $10 billion in federal funding to support implementing IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) in the United States during the next four years, according to language in the massive multi-trillion-dollar budget-reconciliation proposal.
Grant money would be available to support eligible entities “implementing [NG911], operating and maintaining [NG911], training related to implementing, maintaining and operating [NG911], … and planning and implementation activities,” according to legislative text released on Thursday…
by ECC Editor | Sep 12, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
20 years ago, on September 11 planes hijacked by Al Qaeda operatives crashed into New York’s World Trade Center, killing more than 3,000 people and injuring thousands of others. After the attack, more than 100,000 responders and recovery workers from every US state – along with some 400,000 residents and other workers around ground zero – were exposed to a toxic cloud of dust that fell as a ghostly, thick layer of ash and then hung in the air for more than three months. Till date, the 2001 attack remains the deadliest terrorist attack in US history.
Needless to say, it was an emergency of epic proportions. But contrary to the opinions of some, the horrific incident does not have any correlation with the 9-1-1 US Emergency Phone Number helpline. For the uninitiated, the three digit number can generally be used for any police, fire or medic and provides direct access to a public safety answering point. The system has been used ever since the 1960s… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 12, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
By Edward Parkinson, CEO First Responder Network Authority
Soon after the planes hit the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, Brad Morrell deployed from Utah to New York City as part of an urban search and rescue team.
Aboard the military airlift transporting rescuers, Brad remembers seeing otherwise empty skies except for the fighter jets escorting their plane. When they got to the fallen towers, the scene was unlike anything else he and his teammates had experienced.
In the initial days, cell service was non-existent, land-mobile radios were down, and repeaters to boost signals weren’t working. The only communications available to Brad and his team were two-way pagers they brought from Utah.
“We knew that comms was an issue. For the first few days, we couldn’t talk from Ground Zero back to our base of operations,” said Brad who now serves as the FirstNet Authority’s Director of Network and Technology Operations.
READ FULL ARTICLE
