Officials in Brevard County are asking residents to limit 9-1-1 calls to “true emergencies” because of long waits at local hospitals inundated with COVID-19 patients. The recent surge in hospitalizations have overwhelmed facilities, some of which have had to divert incoming patients elsewhere.
“We want to save the ambulance trips and the emergency rooms for those that are critically sick or injured, just because of the overcrowding,” Brevard Fire Chief Mark Schollmeyer said Thursday. “We’ve experienced wait times in excess of an hour trying to transfer patients over [to the hospital], which creates a hardship on the whole system.” … READ MORE
St. Pauls — Town leaders here learned Thursday an update is needed soon or the emergency services system will default to county 911 services.
St. Pauls dispatches its calls through a landline system and functions as a PSAP, or public safety answering point, and does not contract with Robeson County Emergency 911 services. However, the system needs an upgrade through AT&T soon in order to continue serving the community, St. Pauls Chief of Police Steve Dollinger said Thursday during a town Board of Commissioners meeting.
“In September, we may lose 911 completely,” he said…
Local emergency first responders on Thursday, Aug. 12, held a full-scale mock exercise, during which hazardous chemicals were sprayed on “civilians.”
The full-scale exercise began with a classroom session at the Tahlequah Fire Training Center, Aug. 10-11.
“All agencies from our community will test their capabilities, as well as response and preparedness,” said City of Tahlequah/Cherokee County Emergency Management Director Mike Underwood…
WATERTOWN — The Watertown Police Department Administration and Communications Administration congratulated Dispatcher Patricia Bessette and Dispatcher Melissa Bostick, as they had been selected as the Atlantic Chapter of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials “Public Safety Communications Team of the Year Award” on August 3.
Dispatchers Bessette and Bostick commonly work together during the day shift and as a team have professionally handled numerous chaotic emergency 911 calls. The dispatchers not only answer the 911 calls and speak to the complainants, but simultaneously dispatch police, fire and ambulance personal, all while updating those agencies with the pertinent information…
On Sunday, July 25, 8-year-old Carson called 911 to help his grandfather who was in distress. He carefully followed all of the instructions he was given. And his grandfather responded favorably.
In recognition of his quick thinking and assistance to his grandfather, the Montgomery County Department of Police invited him to tour their call center.
During his visit Carson was also able to meet the call-taker who helped him in person.
The Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center also gave Carson a certificate recognizing his efforts…
Aug. 11—State and federal officials say they still don’t know why many Anchorage and Mat-Su residents received cellphone emergency alerts during a tsunami warning in late July.
Anchorage is at almost no risk of a tsunami, even during a large earthquake, and the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer did not send an alert to cellphones in Alaska’s largest city. Many residents received warning messages anyway. Many others did not.
According to records and statements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state of Alaska and the National Weather Service — which operates the tsunami warning center — warnings should have been sent only to cellphones on the Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak, Alaska Peninsula and in portions of the Aleutian Islands…
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.
