by ECC Editor | Jul 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
COLLINSVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) – As a part of the Marcus David Peters Act that was put in place by Governor Ralph Northam to provide care to people in mental health crises, the Martinsville-Henry County E911 Communications Center has built a voluntary database.
“We have established a way for our citizens to go online on the city of Martinsville or Henry County website. A secure link there where they can provide confidential information,” said JR Powell, center director.
Powell says the database will give dispatchers and responders a head start in gathering information.
“Dispatchers will have that information ahead of time rather than in today’s environment if you call 911, you don’t know what’s going on,” said Powell… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
To: The communities of the White Mountains and, the public safety partners who responded to the tragic events of June 19th, 2021,
On the morning of June 19th, 2021, cyclist from near and far started the Bike the Bluffs event in Show Low. After leaving the starting line and turning down the Deuce of Clubs a driver crossed lanes of traffic and hit multiple riders at approximately 7:25 am. The driver then fled the scene and was eventually shot by police before being apprehended. At 7:27 Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District (Timber Mesa) personnel were notified of the incident by the Show Low Police Department dispatch center. Timber Mesa firefighters arrived on scene approximately four minutes later, at 7:31 to render aid.
This scene was chaotic with multiple injured cyclist, bystanders attempting to assist, traffic congestion, etc. That was in addition to the somewhat more ordinary challenges of emergency response including communications, incident command, coordination of resources…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
Public safety dispatchers say app saves time in an emergency, when seconds count
Residents can download the Smart911 app for free and input personal information that will help dispatchers find their house, contact them in case of an emergency and help prepare first responders to assist residents in a crisis.
“It can be really useful if for some reason you’re not able to talk on the phone or give us all the information that we need or you just don’t remember because you’re in the middle of a crisis,” said Nicole McInnis, a public safety dispatcher at SunComm911 Communications in Yakima County…04
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 20, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Department of Homeland Security teams are working to make aging IT infrastructure interoperable and ready for 5G emerging technology.
Norman Speicher was looking at colleges in Boston, Massachusetts, with his daughter when he made a 911 call on behalf of someone who suddenly fainted. His phone connected to a cell tower on the south side of the city, and algorithms routed the call to the wrong dispatch center, as the dispatcher informed him. This delayed help by four or five minutes.
The episode illuminates some of the interoperability cracks in computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems between 911 call centers, first responders and law enforcement…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jul 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
Meriden’s chronically understaffed Emergency Communications Center is understaffed again — a condition that puts police, firefighters and the public at risk and is therefore completely unacceptable.
The staffing of this critical service has been in a dire state almost routinely over a period of years. The city is going to “really take a hard look” at the chronic turnovers plagued the center, according to Mayor Kevin Scarpati, because another sharp dip in staffing levels now has some dispatchers working multiple shifts.
How much a “hard look” will accomplish, though, remains to be seen…
by ECC Editor | Jul 20, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Four key phases exist in a VoIP project: assessment, design, procurement, and implementation. An independent consultant can bring you an unbiased perspective throughout the journey by identifying potential bottlenecks, estimating budgets, determining what needs to be upgraded or replaced, and developing a set of system requirements to ensure a competitive bid process and smoother implementation. Here, I’ll share an inside view of how to make the most of each phase of the VoIP process—giving you a taste of the value a consultant brings to the table.
VoIP projects typically take six to 12 months to complete, and engaging an outside expert to handle the process takes a burden off your IT department. The consultant can work as part of the IT group, performing many of the tasks necessary to complete critical phases while still allowing oversight from the project team… READ MORE
