Past, Present, More To Come

Past, Present, More To Come

Andre’ Lanier

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 2021 is less than two weeks away (Sunday April 11 through Saturday April 17) creating the ideal time to revisit the history of 911 and see where we are today.

Early
days of 911

Early discussions for an emergency number originated in 1957 by the National Association of Fire Chiefs. The chiefs recommended a single number a person could call to report a fire. However, other organizations wanted separate numbers for other emergencies. Discussions on national numbers for emergencies continued until 1967…

California set to begin NG911 deployments in 911 centers statewide next month

California 911 centers could have IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) connectivity deployed throughout the state by the end of this year or early next year, according to an official helping lead the execution of the emergency-calling initiative.

Budge Currier, 911 and emergency-communications branch manager for California, said the state is building its NG911 platform around the i3 standard developed by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and that the deployment is a comprehensive one that is scheduled to begin in April…

Newborn Revived Due to Coordination Between Dispatch, State Patrol and Grandmother (WA)

Teamwork from dispatchers, including Multi Agency Communication Center in Grant County, Washington State Patrol and swift acting grandmother, Wanda Rand, resulted in the birth and revival of a newborn on March 19.

A 911 call alerted dispatch that a westbound vehicle heading into Grant County on 1-90 had a woman, Martina Medrano, going into labor. Multi Agency Communications Center communications officer, Summer Mann, provided delivery instructions to grandmother, Wanda Rand, as the vehicle stopped for the delivery on Frontage Road on exit 188. Rand delivered her grandchild in the backseat of the car… READ MORE

Lake County Emergency Services Telecommunicators Scholarship program moves forward (OH)

Lake County Emergency Services Telecommunicators Scholarship program moves forward (OH)

The program has moved from the pilot phase to its inaugural class to train the next generation of telecommunicators and will be offered to qualifying students enrolled in Auburn Career Center’s Emergency Services Telecommunicators program.

The board provided funding in 2020 and has been looking to establish a scholarship program to grow enrollment, noted Commissioner John Hamercheck…

Legislators reintroduce bill to change job classification of 911 dispatchers nationwide

Legislators reintroduce bill to change job classification of 911 dispatchers nationwide

WASHINGTON — Legislators have reintroduced a bill in Congress that would change the job classification of 911 dispatchers nationwide. 

The 911 SAVES Act would classify 911 dispatchers under “protective service occupations” instead of “office and administrative support occupations,” adding them to the same category as firefighters, law enforcement officers, corrections officers and other public safety staff. (EMS providers are classified under healthcare occupations.)… 

FirstNet & 5G: An Experience Unlike Anything Else for America’s First Responders

FirstNet & 5G: An Experience Unlike Anything Else for America’s First Responders

DALLAS, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — What’s the news? As public safety’s partner, AT&T* is committed to evolving FirstNet® to meet first responders’ needs and supporting innovative new technologies to help them stay mission ready. That’s why we’re announcing 3 major milestones for FirstNet, the only network built with public safety, for public safety:

  1. A first responder-centric approach to 5G
  2. Bringing comprehensive tower-to-core network encryption
  3. The FirstNet Health & Wellness Coalition to better support responders holistically…