New tool uses smartphone GPS to find 911 callers in N.W.T. (Canada)

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Comm Center News

A new tool to help 911 dispatchers has already helped save a life in the Northwest Territories.

RapidSOS is a data platform that helps first responders locate callers by tracking the GPS on their smartphones. The 911 division in the N.W.T. government started using RapidSOS in April.

Ashley Geraghty is the N.W.T. 911 program manager and he said the new tool has been a game-changer for his department… READ MORE

New Communications Centre Completed In Raymond Terrace (Australia)

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Comm Center News

COMMUNICATION is vital, especially during natural disaster incidents.

For Port Stephens there is an ongoing collaboration of agencies where Marine Rescue assists the Rural Fire Service with radio communications playing a major role during bushfire events.

The Public Safety Network (PSN) in the Hunter has been expanded with the completion of a new site at Raymond Terrace.

The network is designed to help keep people and communities safe.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin said the new radio site, delivered by the NSW Telco Authority, is vital to ongoing community safety across the Hunter…

Apple Watches, phones accidentally dialing up trouble for dispatch (MI)

Apple Watches, phones accidentally dialing up trouble for dispatch (MI)

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Comm Center News

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Don’t bump the buttons: That’s the message from emergency dispatchers across the country as they deal with a large number of accidental calls to 911 from Apple products.

“You’re having people, I’m assuming, that are just double tapping this a lot for that to go off,” said Genius Phone Repair technician Christian Tyler as he showed the safety feature built into newer Apple products.

The feature gives the device owner a way to dial 911 without going to the keypad…





Westfield City Council Legislation and Ordinance Committee moves regional dispatch (MA)

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Comm Center News

WESTFIELD and SOUTHWICK – The Westfield City Council Legislation and Ordinance Committee (L&O) June 9 discussed the proposed plan to implement a regional dispatch center for Westfield and Southwick.

After the IMA is approved by both the City Council and the Select Board, it will be signed by Westfield Mayor Donald F. Humason Jr. and Southwick Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart.  Ward 6 City Councilor William Onyski said state grant funding would then be made available to begin the project and set up the regional dispatch infrastructure…

Public Safety Advocate: Is Your Agency Using FirstNet? If Not, Why Not?

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News

Since the build-out of the FirstNet network began, many federal, state, and local public-safety agencies have become part of the growing number of entities using this Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN).

According to the latest FirstNet (Built with AT&T) report, 16,000+ agencies are using the network and more are joining every month. During the last eighteen months, there were concerns that broadband networks might experience some difficulties keeping up with demand due to Covid-19 and so many people working and studying from home. More and more agencies signed up with FirstNet for interoperability between agencies and to benefit from the increased capabilities provided by AT&T’s rapid build-out of public safety’s 20 MHz of 700-MHz spectrum and access to all of AT&T’s LTE spectrum…