Comm Center News
911 Outage Complicated By Failure (HI)
The public wasn’t notified about a 911 outage until about three hours after problems began because the Honolulu Police Department was struggling to come up with an alternate means of communication, officials said Monday. Police are investigating what caused the 911...
Change in law complicates 911 hiring (KY)
A change in state law approved earlier this year complicated hiring for 911 dispatch centers, and state 911 officials are hoping legislators will address the issue in the coming legislative session. READ FULL ARTICLE
“Heroes Behind Headset” author talks answering the call as a 911 dispatcher (WV)
She’s been a Fayette County 911 dispatcher and unsung hero for the past six years. When Bertha Blankenship took the call that her husband fell ill in 2022 it hit home and she decided to write a book about her dispatching experience. READ FULL ARTICLE
‘911 Guy’ looks to retire after 40 years of service with Dane County
Kevin Fisher has been a communicator with Dane County dispatch for 34 years. Fisher has worked in dispatch for so long people in the office and out in the community started calling him "911 guy" READ FULL ARTICLE
Next Gen 911 insiders say California hired inexperienced companies
After years of missed deadlines and documented safety issues surrounding the rollout of California’s Next Generation 911 system, project insiders are now speaking out, saying they feel compelled to warn the public about “major problems” with the years-long overhaul...
Oconee Co. dispatcher welcomed home following medical emergency abroad (SC)
The Oconee County community welcomed home a 911 dispatcher, who had suffered a medical emergency abroad. Members of community and Oconee County Sheriff’s Office lined up in Walhalla to greet Katie Johns as she was driven to her house. READ FULL ARTICLE
Disastrous’ Next Gen 911 rollout delaying life-saving help, records show (CA)
California is in the midst of a massive overhaul of its aging, landline-based 9-1-1 emergency call system, with project leaders promising the ground-breaking “Next Generation 911” (NG911) network will suffer fewer outages, deliver improved location accuracy, and...
APCO Pushes FCC for 911 Rulemaking on Interoperability
The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) made recommendations to FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s office to issue proposed rulemaking on additional interoperability requirements for 9-1-1 providers. Specifically, APCO suggested that the emergency...
Summit County residents can now contact 911 via text (OH)
It's another tool for people who are in dangerous situations where texting is safer than calling, as well as those who are hearing impaired.
Winthrop Looking toward Expanded Regional Dispatch Center (MA)
The Metro North Regional Emergency Communications Center, comprising the dispatch services for Revere and Winthrop, is in talks to add a third community. At last week’s Winthrop Town Council meeting, Town Manager Tony Marino said the regional emergency communications...
Public safety is calling the FCC’s 4.9 decision a major win
In a unanimous, bipartisan, 4-0 decision, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is bolstering public safety’s use of the historically underutilized 4.9 GHz spectrum band. The new rules safeguard incumbent operations, establish a process to select a band manager, and make the spectrum available to the FirstNet Authority for 5G deployment on the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (FirstNet).
New facility aims to replace existing SLO County sheriff and Cal Fire dispatch centers (CA)
On Oct. 23, members of dispatch and administration from the SLO County Sheriff's Office and Cal Fire division came together with hard hats and safety vests to sign their names and write messages around the construction site. According to Paul, this event was...
Waukegan moves forward with plans for city 911 operation; ‘This provides everything we need’ (IL)
Waukegan officials decided last summer that joining Lake Consolidated Emergency Communications (LakeComm) — rather than dispatching police, fire and emergency medical services for the city itself — was the wrong […]
Is consolidating emergency communications centers right for your agency?
In Pierce County, Washington, five 911 centers unified into South Sound 911, streamlining emergency communication and inspiring nationwide public safety improvements READ FULL ARTICLE
Heartbreak and heroism: Shelby County 911 dispatchers recall North Carolina mission (AL)
The decision to volunteer had to be made quickly, and they were facing unknown travel conditions. It took the crew two days to make it to the area of North Carolina they were stationed in. READ FULL ARTICLE
Minneapolis, Hennepin County dispatch centers unveil automatic 911 callback technology (MN)
Leaders from the Minneapolis and Hennepin County emergency communications and dispatch centers on Thursday unveiled a new technology to automatically call back abandoned 911 calls. The new Automated Abandoned Call (AAC) system will be used effective immediately. The...
Floyd 911 dispatching system ‘best it’s ever been,” officials say (KY)
Officials who oversee and monitor Floyd County’s 911 system say citizens are safer now than they were before dispatching services moved from Kentucky State Police Post 9 in Pikeville to the City of Prestonsburg due to better response time by law enforcement and...
Attorney general salutes DA, 911 communications – Restoration (NC)
Johnston’s district attorney and the county’s 911 communications team are among the latest recipients of N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein’s Dogwood Awards. The awards go to people who are working to improve the health, safety and well-being of their fellow North...
Public Safety Spectrum Alliance commends the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on 4.9 GHz decision
NEWS / PRESS RELEASE LAS VEGAS, Nev.—The Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA), a coalition of the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA), commends the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on its decision today to approve new FCC rules...
Fulton County, Rochester consolidating 911 dispatch services (IN)
Fulton County Commissioners on Monday signed an interlocal agreement aimed at consolidating emergency communications with the city of Rochester. Officials of Fulton County and the city of Rochester are close to finalizing an interlocal agreement to operate a combined,...
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.
REGISTER
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