Columbus pilot program will help determine which 911 calls are emergencies and which aren’t (OH)

Columbus pilot program will help determine which 911 calls are emergencies and which aren’t (OH)

The city of Columbus is rolling out a four-to-six-week pilot program on Monday that will help determine whether 911 calls need an emergency response by police and firefighter-medics or by others, such as social workers or clinicans who are better equipped to deal with mental health or substance abuse issues.

Erika Clark Jones, president and CEO of the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County speaks Friday during a news conference at Columbus Public Health for a new Alternative Response Pilot Program.

“For far too often and long, we’ve asked police officers to be social workers, medics,” Mayor Andrew J. Ginther said Friday during a news conference to announce what is being called the Alternative Response Pilot Program. The event was held at Columbus Public Health near Downtown…

In sharply worded letters, Franchot and Kagan spar over progress on 911 fee audits (MD)

It’s been more than six months since Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery) raised a red flag over a lack of 911 fee audits from the Maryland Comptroller’s office — but she says she’s yet to receive any data.

Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D) had paused audits due to the pandemic, but agreed to resume 911 fee audits after Kagan warned of a lack of oversight last November. Although those audits have since resumed, Kagan said in a Thursday letter to Franchot that the state’s Next Generation 911 Commission hasn’t received any information from the comptroller’s office… READ MORE

Texas First Responders get a Boost in Wireless Communications

Texas’ first responders are getting
a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet®
network expansion currently underway by AT&T*.
We’ve added new, purpose-built cell sites and other network
enhancements across the state. Val Verde, Matagorda, Maverick and Williamson
counties now have newly launched purpose-built FirstNet cell sites. These new
sites are giving first responders on FirstNet – America’s public safety network
– access to always-on, 24-hours-a-day priority and preemption across
voice and data…

Communications network upgrade OK’d in Burlington (MA)

BURLINGTON – Town Meeting passed a $1,240,000 warrant article that will upgrade Burlington’s public safety communications equipment.

During night two of Town Meeting this past Wednesday evening, the body took action on possibly the most important and impactful financial article on the warrant.

This item will upgrade and replace the existing communications infrastructure at various town sites, dispatch consoles and subscriber units consisting of mobile and portable (handheld) radios with the latest available radio technology…

For years, Aleknagik’s 911 calls have gone through the Dillingham police. That’s finally changed (AK)

For years, Aleknagik’s 911 calls have gone through the Dillingham police. That’s finally changed (AK)

Rural residents have reported difficulties summoning Alaska State Troopers in emergencies, and local officials no longer want to be caught in the middle. Now, the police department’s long-standing practice of fielding 911 calls from outside city limits is ending.

Aleknagik is a small community 20 miles up the road from Bristol Bay’s western hub of Dillingham. It has around 200 residents, but no local police.

So, for years, when someone in Aleknagik called 911, the person on the other end of the line couldn’t offer direct help.

That was dangerous, said Kay Andrews, Aleknagik’s city administrator…

Spokane County, city will have to reach agreement in dispatch feud, according to bill signed by Inslee (WA)

May 15—OLYMPIA — The city of Spokane and the county-led Spokane Regional Emergency Communications agency now have until next July to reach an agreement on how to form one emergency communications agency and how to equitably use a local emergency communications tax, after Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law this week.

The bill, sponsored by Spokane Democratic Rep. Marcus Riccelli, specifically addresses a long standoff between the city and the county, forcing them to either reach an agreement or go to court to equitably allocate revenue from a local emergency communication sales and use tax…