Little Rock residents say 911 dispatch is too slow at answering emergency calls (AR)

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — There’s been recent complaints on social media about delayed response times by 911 dispatch from Little Rock residents. People have shared their stories of being on hold or never getting an answer from responders. 

Harold Hughs has been living in Little Rock for 30 years. He said for the countless times he’s had to call 911, they’ve been slow to answering the call… READ MORE 

Baker County Sheriff’s Office has new phone system (OR)

Callers to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office will no longer be greeted by the voice of a dispatcher whose primary role is to field emergency 9-1-1 calls.

Since Tuesday, Jan. 26, calls have been picked up by an automated answering system. The change is designed to “better serve callers while prioritizing the most critical calls,” a Sheriff’s Department press release stated…

Osten Spearheads Push for Workers’ Compensation to Include Mental Health, including 9-1-1 (CT)

State Sen. Cathy Osten, who worked for more than two decades as a corrections officer and lieutenant for the Department of Corrections, has spearheaded the fight for mental health coverage through workers’ compensation since she first entered the legislature in 2012, the same year as the Sandy Hook shooting that led to the deaths of 26 children and staff. In its aftermath, labor advocates, municipalities, and legislators debated whether workers’ compensation should cover first responders who witnessed the shooting and experienced PTSD as a direct result, or just those who were the victims of physical violence.

She has also introduced a more narrow bill, which would only cover corrections staff, 9-1-1 dispatchers, and EMTs…

CalOES Insider Touts Progress With Next-Gen 9-1-1 (CA)

It’s been drilled into us since we were kids: When there’s an emergency, grab a phone and dial 9-1-1. Those three magic numbers ensure that first responders — including police officers, firefighters and paramedics — come to our rescue.

Unfortunately, most 9-1-1 networks across the country use decades-old infrastructure that relies on the circuit-switching, analog technology that does not support today’s needs. They’re simply not equipped for today’s mobile and digital communications tools, and that means a lot of people may not get help as quickly as they need it… READ MORE 

Flagler County Public Safety Telecommunicator Selected as the Florida Sheriffs Association 2021 Dispatcher of the Year (FL)

The Florida Sheriffs Association is pleased to announce that Public Safety Telecommunicator Specialist McKenzie Davis of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been selected as the 2021 Dispatcher of the Year. Each year, this award is presented at the FSA Winter Conference to an officer who has demonstrated exceptional service in the line of duty. The award is sponsored by L3Harris Technologies.

Davis began her career at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in 2018 at only 19-years-old. She is the daughter of the Detention Services Commander Glenn Davis. In her short time in the communication center, she has made an incredible impact on the community and within the agency… READ MORE