COLUMBIA — A seven-year process to open a new emergency communications center in Richland County is almost done.Richland County Council discussed the 911 call center in executive session during an Oct. 7 meeting. After the session, the council members directed the county administrator to look into staffing options for the center.The call center is currently located in the basement of the Columbia Fire Department headquarters on Laurel Street. Though it’s funded by and serves both Richland County and Columbia, the center is currently run by the city.“It’s cramped, and it’s been there for a long time. This gives them the space to modernize,” Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann said.

SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Scott Crabtree sat down together to discuss the priorities the Board has set and the current status of them.One of these priorities is the public safety communications improvements which Crabtree spoke about.
“We’ve gone through revamped plans over the last year or two and trying to get the right amount of money to do the things that are needed within this communication system,” he said.

How a Pennsylvania Police Department Is Embracing Tech

As Philbin maneuvered through traffic, he was aware of other departments on their way to the scene. The vehicle was equipped with technology that would beep if another patrol vehicle was about 30 seconds away.

Philbin’s body and vehicle cameras were active throughout the incident, which ended with the woman being taken to a hospital for mental health treatment.

After incidents, officers can write reports and complete other documentation from their vehicle laptop.

Philbin said technology keeps officers on patrol and helps them spend less time in the office writing reports. The vehicle was also equipped with a printer for citations, which were previously handwritten.

I want to focus on where we’re headed: the technology shaping the future of 911, the challenges that come with it, and how our community can help keep the system strong. Because while 911 has come a long way since its beginnings in 1968, its future depends not only on...

Maine utility regulators are weighing whether to penalize a telephone carrier that routed 911 calls to an administrative line for nearly two years, potentially limiting callers’ ability to reach dispatchers during an emergency. The Public Utilities Commission opened...

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Inside the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center, every call tells a story — but now, one new team member is helping make sure those stories do not end in crisis. .

Today at the APCO AI Summit, APCO International announced a new partnership with the Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies (iCERT) to launch a new program to promote the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in emergency...

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has established a new laboratory to ensure Next Generation 911 systems work seamlessly across jurisdictions and technology providers, Federal News Network reported. The initiative aims to prevent...

The dispatch center that handles 911 and other emergency calls in Berkeley hit a low point of staffing this year, at one point running on just a third of the dispatchers it is supposed to have, according to a city report.

 Chief Joel Hallstrom braced for a leap of faith. Since 2019, North Park Fire Protection District depended on Mercyhealth’s Rockcom: the nonprofit’s system dispatched first responders after receiving calls from 911 centers around Winnebago County. “There’s a bit...

Published 4:30 pm Wednesday, October 8, 2025 Effective Oct. 1, the new Farmville-Prince Edward Emergency Communication Center began dispatching all 911 calls for fire, EMS and law enforcement for the town of Farmville, Prince Edward County, Longwood University and...

A small-town Alabama police chief has stepped down amid an investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of a young female employee. Cordova Police Chief Jason Hare, a husband and father, resigned Monday, Mayor Jeremy Pate confirmed. The resignation came...

Brown County Public Safety Communications Director Chancy Huntzinger has pushed back on statements made by dispatch center staff and a former county supervisor about pay and staffing. Hutzinger's comments came during the Brown County Public Safety Committee meeting on...

The county’s 911 call center is considering using artificial intelligence to help handle non-emergency calls. “We’re in the process of determining which service would best serve Montgomery County,” Emergency Communications Center Director Jennifer Reidy-Hall said...

Stratford, CT – The Town of Stratford is proud to announce that three of its 911 Dispatchers — Estefani Escalante, Suzanne (Suzi) Smolinsky, and Paul Tighe — were recognized with a Unit Citation during the State of Connecticut EMS Advisory Board Awards Ceremony, held...

LYONS, N.Y. (WROC ) — As a 911 dispatcher, Todd Speers knows how to stay calm in a crisis. “Put yourself in the caller’s shoes,” Todd said. “Try to envision yourself there.” On May 26 of this year, Todd didn’t have to. During a late-night shift change, the crisis came...

Erie County will receive $1.9 million to upgrade their emergency call centers in preparation for Next Generation 911, a statewide Internet Protocol (IP)-based system designed to improve the way incidents are received and processed. New York Governor Kathy Hochul...

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Just over a year ago, Lincoln opened an $8 million emergency communication center to give 911 dispatchers the tools they need to save lives. On Tuesday, Lincoln welcomed 11 new despatchers, the largest graduating class in the center’s...

PHOENIX — A new Buckeye dispatch center is officially ready to start accepting 911 calls. City officials held a grand opening celebration, complete with a ribbon-cutting, last week.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $85 million in grant funding has been allocated to county level primary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and primary PSAP backup centers to prepare for the implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) in 57 counties across the state. The NG911 Grant Program is specifically to support call handling equipment to include interfaces and software applications needed for agencies to receive and process incidents with the goal of increasing statewide capabilities to accept NG911 calls in accordance with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) i3 standards. All eligible counties received a base amount of $1 million in funding and the remaining funds were allocated based on population.“Public safety is my number one priority, and that means ensuring that we have the technology and equipment in place to support our first responders and their quick response to emergency situations,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments will ensure that our 911 systems are operating effectively and efficiently when any New Yorker reaches out for emergency assistance in their time of need.