n response to the spread of COVID-19, public safety agencies looked for ways to keep personnel safe while continuing to serve their communities. The Arlington County Emergency Communications Center in Virginia launched remote call-taking, dispatching, and supervision capabilities. Telecommunicators are able to work from home or other locations with a setup that includes a FirstNet hotspot. [PODCAST]… READ MORE
AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Five 9-1-1 operators have been awarded by the Amarillo Police Department for going above and beyond during the winter storm last month.
Some staff members left their families to spend the night at the Amarillo Emergency Communications Center to make sure they could be there when the calls came.
Many slept on cots around the building and another member who commutes from Tulia, paid for four nights at a nearby hotel to make sure she would make it to work… READ MORE
Speaking to the Bishop City Council on Monday Night, March 22, Acting Police Chief Josh Ellsworth previewed a new service the department is using, called RapidSOS, to keep better, more accurate information while on 4-1-1 and 9-1-1 calls coming from cell phones for law enforcement dispatchers. It is provided as a free service to dispatch centers so, if in practice it does not deliver the goods, the City will not be out any money.
Chief Ellsworth told councilmembers that RapidSOS service works with cell phone providers and law enforcement dispatch centers to let a dispatcher to track a 9-1-1 cellphone call, which previously had only been able to be tracked by cellphone towers… READ MORE
Butler County is examining ways to introduce more redundancy in its dispatch phone and radio paging systems following a power issue that would have caused local 911 calls to route to agencies in other counties for several hours on March 10.
There were no emergencies during the disruption to the county’s 911 services, handled by Windstream Communications. Fire departments and their members in Butler County were still able to dispatch from portable units…
The APCO Young Professionals Committee is proud to recognize Ben Smith as our young professional spotlight. He was nominated for being a great role model to others, regardless of their age or years of service in public safety.
Starting as a frontline telecommunicator, he is now the director of his center. Ben has helped his agency achieve APCO’s Agency Training Certification, as well as earned his own RPL and ENP certifications…
Karen Montgomery is retiring as an emergency dispatcher after 21 years of service and while her co-workers at the St. Johnsbury Dispatch Center wish her well, it’s pretty clear her departure will be a big loss.
“Karen has been a big part of our operations here at the fire department and her retirement will mean a great loss of knowledge,” said St. Johnsbury Fire Chief Jon Bouffard…
