The head of Arlington, Virginia’s Emergency Communications Center is addressing concerns that its current setup is problematic and even potentially dangerous.
“We are like every other 911 center in the country, which has traditionally struggled with staffing,” center administrator Dave Mulholland told WTOP. “We’re going to be very honest in acknowledging not every shift has optimal staffing.”
However, Mulholland maintains that crucial positions have always remained filled, and that more people are being trained to fill needed roles.
In an email, a spokesperson said that while the center is now technically at full staffing levels after a previous shortage, approximately 30% of staff are in training and cannot yet work independently…
APCO’s Spectrum Management Division (AFC) now offers Engineering and Licensing services for microwave systems in support of Public Safety Communications. The new services generally consist of the licensing of new, or modifications of existing Point-to-Point (PtP) radio links and Multiple Access Systems (MAS). Furthermore, an applicant may contact ACPO to re-license an expired call sign, or in some cases, we can petition the FCC for reconsideration to avoid cancellation of a license under certain circumstances. Additional services include Path Design, Path Status/Frequency Protection monitoring for point-to-point links, and assistance with the required FAA Studies and FCC Tower Registration…
County Executive Matt Meyer announced Tuesday he was nominating current New Castle County Chief of Police Vaughn Bond for the position of New Castle County Public Safety Director.
“This is a great day for the public safety of our communities and for the long-term future of our fine police department,” said Meyer. “Col. Bond will go down in history as a trailblazer for this department and for this county. He made courageous decisions to invest in community policing and mental health and substance use treatment before it became popular to do so. Col. Bond has also shown unprecedented commitment to diversity in his leadership team.”
Bond, who was the first Black police chief for New Castle County and promoted the department’s first female Lieutenant Colonel Wendi Freeser, would oversee the Divisions of Police, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Communications, and the Office of Emergency Management while collaborating with the fire service in his new position…
As public safety leaders and longtime citizens of cities directly impacted on Sept. 11, 2001., frontline workers’ responses deeply affected us. What happened that day continues to inform our approach to public safety and inspires us to work harder.
Twenty years ago, the frontline workers who responded to the horrific attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania were unable to share a simple radio message and communications networks were overwhelmed.
Interoperability — the ability of the frontline to communicate with each other even if they use different telecom carriers — is critical to allow them to do their jobs safely and effectively and keep Americans safe. It allows first responders to coordinate their actions with full situational awareness of what is happening around them…
It’s been a long wait, but Goose Creek’s first responders now have an advanced communication system that will save critical time in an emergency.
It’s not only an upgrade in technology, but dispatchers are also more advanced now, ready to offer life-saving instructions to those who call for help.
“Our citizens deserve the best service possible. Our new communications center will provide it,” said Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib. “Our residents will see the results of this $1.1-million investment in faster response times and better service.”
On Sept. 2, the Goose Creek Police Department unveiled its new, state-of-the-art Communications Center. The seven-figure upgrade will mean increased safety and better emergency service for residents who sometimes may be making the most desperate call of their lives…
City officials announced the death of Matthew Dillon, who worked as a public safety telecommunicator with the Rockledge Public Safety Department, on Sunday. He had been sick with the virus since last month when friends and family organized a prayer vigil in mid-August at Rockledge Regional Medical Center.
“We will honor his legacy and remember the extraordinary impact “Big Mike” had on so many,” said Public Safety Director LaSata. “In this line of work, we become family, and in this case, we have lost a beloved member.”
Officials described Dillon in the tweet announcing his passing as ‘a brilliant and promising young dispatcher,’ who worked in the Communications Center, where dispatchers fielded emergency calls and directed police officers to service calls…
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.
