Comm Center News
Benton County Central Communications loses power during storm (AR)
BENTONVILLE -- Benton County Central Communications lost electricity when a storm rolled through Friday night, a county official said Monday. Robert McGowen, county administrator of public safety, said he was notified at 7:27 p.m. Friday that Central Communications,...
911 Central Dispatch Director Leaving (MI)
December 14, 2021 The director of Livingston County’s 911 Central Dispatch is leaving for greener pastures. Chad Chewning tells WHMI that his last day on the job as the Director for Livingston County 911 Central Dispatch will be January 2nd, after which he will become...
Where do 911 fees go? Key statistics from the FCC’s annual 911 fee report (Part 2)
Each year for the past 12 years, the Federal Communications Commission has gathered information from states and territories about their 911 fee collection, distribution and general operations and put it together in a report to Congress. Usually published in early...
Dispatchers from around the state graduated from the Public Safety Dispatch Academy (KY)
RICHMOND, Ky. (WTVQ/GOV.BESHEAR OFFICE) – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) announced that 17 dispatchers from across the state graduated from the Public Safety Dispatch Academy, They are ready to begin answering the...
Utilities ask FCC to delay opening of 6 GHz to protect public safety
Published on December 10, 2021 by Hil Anderson A coalition of utility groups and other current occupants of the 6 GHz communications band filed a pair of petitions with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week to block an expected tidal wave of the new...
First responders, holiday blues and Vitamin D
That first whiff of fresh-cut pine; the overabundance of pumpkin-spiced everything; a gentle glow of candle flame and the infectious giddiness of a child’s anticipation – the holiday season can certainly be a joyous time! However, for those in public safety and shift...
‘A critical link’: Area dispatch centers hope to attract more to profession as retention drops (CO)
Lara Vanderbilt’s work schedule is anything but a 9 to 5. Some weeks during her training, as a dispatcher with the Boulder County Communications Center, she works 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other weeks, those times are flipped to an overnight shift. But an unordinary,...
Zephyrhills man thanks 911 dispatcher who helped save his life (FL)
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Pasco County family got to meet and thank their hero behind the headset. “We just feel we were blessed that he was the one that answered that call,” Christy Hupp said. “It was just meant to be.” The Hupp family from Zephyrhills credits...
Man arrested for abuse of 911 after allegedly calling dispatch 25 times (TX)
A man landed in jail in November for allegedly calling 9-1-1 at least 25 times. According to court documents: In April, police responded to a reported family disturbance. A dispatcher told the officers a man and woman could be heard yelling over the phone. The officers arrived at the address and announced their presence. A man said “hang on” and answered the door holding his jeans up around his waist. He told police there was no disturbance and he was just spending time with his wife. Officers saw an unclothed woman on the couch. She told the officers she was fine. More:Crime of the Week: Reward offered for info on arson casesIn May, officers were sent back to the same address for a disturbance where a man and woman could be heard arguing while on a 9-1-1 call. Both denied calling 9-1-1 and said someone else had their phone. The officers saw the woman holding a phone and asked her to call 9-1-1. When she called, it was the same number associated with the previous calls. The officers warned the couple about abuse of 9-1-1 calls. The woman said it was an accident. During their investigation, police discovered 25 calls were made to 9-1-1 from the number. In some of the calls, dispatchers could hear a man and woman yelling. Sometimes the person would hang up after the dispatcher answered the phone. In late November, police arrested the man and charged him with Silent or Abusive Calls to 9-1-1 Service. His bond was set at $1,000 by a judge. More:Vernon ex-pastor sentenced for raping 15-year-oldWichita Falls Police Spokesman Sgt. Charlie Eipper said if you accidently call 9-1-1, do not hang up. Simply explain it was an accident, and do not be surprised if the police show up. Emergency services will call the number back or go to the location to make sure someone is not in need of help.Some other tips to avoid accidentally calling 9-1-1, from E-Com 911:Store your cell phone carefully and lock it when not in use.Keep your phone in a case or holster when not in use.Utilize a phone’s key lock feature if available to avoid accidental calls.Do not program 9-1-1 into a phone, the speed dial can cause accidental calls.If you accidentally dialed 9-1-1 in the past, delete the number from your call history to avoid accidentally calling the number again.
Standing in Support of New Mexico’s Hometown Heroes
By Thomas Randall, Senior Public Safety Advisor for New Mexico, First Responder Network Authority Every day first responders step out into the frontlines to protect and serve their communities. In the last decade, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMS...
Police Department to double dispatching staff, handle Statesboro Fire Dept. traffic (GA)
With authorization from City Council, the Statesboro Fire Department and Statesboro Police Department are moving forward with a plan to merge the dispatching of fire calls – after the initial callout by 911 – into the existing SPD dispatching center at police...
When Seconds Matter: Ohio County 911 Dispatchers Trained in ‘Tele-CPR’ (WV)
Theresa Russell – Theresa Russell, director of Ohio County 911, has been on the job since 1989, just three years after the center was established. In that time, it’s gone from a phone-and-paper-pad operation to desktops with multiple computer screens and flip cards...
FirstNet to give Army first responders a boost in wireless communications (AL)
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — The Army marked the start of a partnership that will provide a dedicated communication network to first responders, every day and in every emergency. Lt. Gen. Donnie Walker, deputy commanding general of Army Materiel Command and senior...
Emergency tracking centre to help first responders and telco carriers stay connected (Australia)
NSW has opened a new Telecommunications Operations Centre in Sydney that will receive real-time information about critical infrastructure during emergencies such as floods and bushfires. The facility will equip the state’s Telecommunications Emergency Management Unit...
Beardstown approves county dispatcher contract (TX)
BEARDSTOWN — Council approves dispatcher agreement Tuesday night. City Council met Tuesday to discuss an agreement with Cass County Emergency Telephone System for the city's dispatcher contract. The council approved the contract for $88,000 and $3.80 for the 2022...
City Council to consider update to video surveillance system at Public Safety Building (MI)
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater City Council will be asked by Public Safety Director Joe Scheid on Monday night to approve his request to update the current video surveillance system at the Coldwater Public Safety Building. Scheid says there are four surveillance...
EMS not considered ‘essential’ in SC, but proposed bill would change that
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The pandemic has shown how critical emergency medical services are across the country. But in South Carolina and most other states, EMS is not classified as an “essential service,” as law enforcement and fire services are. While those services...
Lifelong Xenian Jacquelyn Foster Retires After 30 Years as 911 Dispatcher (OH)
After serving her hometown for 30 years as a 911 Dispatcher, Jacquelyn Foster is retiring. Foster began her career as a 911 Dispatcher with Xenia Greene Central Communications in December 1991 and has since worked as the critical link between people in distress and...
Protecting 911 from unwanted robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission is looking for information on how to prevent unwanted robocalls from reaching public safety answering points (PSAPs). FCC first adopted a PSAP Do-Not-Call registry in 2012 to address autodialer-initiated calls, which were tying up...
As merger of St. Louis 911 systems stalls, staffing shortage, hold times continue, officials say (MO)
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis officials have run into delays implementing a plan to combine the city's three separate 911 dispatch centers for police, firefighters and EMS, and in the meantime hold times in answering city 911 calls and serious short-staffing persist,...
Upcoming Webinar
4.9 GHz Band: Review of the FCC Order
On October 22, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released its Eighth Report and Order (Eighth R&O) regarding utilization of the 4940-4990 MHz (4.9 GHz) band that protects incumbent users as requested by us, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA). This Eighth R&O addresses a number of issues related to the use of this band by public safety. Please join us for a briefing on this order and how it impacts public safety.
This presentation will be led by Chief Jeff Johnson (ret) and Attorney Jason Karp, one of the nation’s leading experts in public safety spectrum regulations.
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