Comm Center News
BREMSS Emergency Medical Personnel of the Year: Phillip Morris (AL)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System wants to recognize Phillip Morris – the Emergency Medical Services Telecommunicator of the Year! Certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher by the Alabama 9-1-1 Board, Phillip has...
Man with Florida tattoo on forehead arrested for misusing 911, cursing dispatcher | News Break
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A Florida man left no doubt where he was from. A 22-year-old man from Hudson, who sports a state of Florida tattoo on his forehead, is accused of misusing 911, authorities said. Matthew Kyle Leatham, 22, of New Port Richey, was charged...
Behind The Badge: Davis County dispatcher lives to help others after surviving two major tragedies (UT)
Emergency dispatchers deal with callers in the midst of crisis all day, every day. One Davis County dispatcher knows all too well what it’s like on the other end of the phone after surviving two major incidents of her own. Dawn Shumway says every day feels like a...
Hiring Hoosiers: IFD looking for more first responders to answer the call in an emergency situation (IN)
First responders are needed to fill a critical role in public safety in the Circle City. The Indianapolis Fire Communications Center is looking to hire telecommunicators to answer 9-1-1 calls and dispatch crews. These essential workers are a lifeline to people in some...
RapidSOS functionality helps 911 centers overcome outages after Nashville explosion (TN)
When the Dec. 25 explosion in Nashville caused outages that prevented 911 calls from being completed, many 911 centers turned to technology from cloud-based RapidSOS to both identify and locate emergency callers, so response efforts could be initiated, according to...
STUTSMAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER RESTRUCTURING APPROVED (ND)
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – There will be some restructuring within the Stutsman County Communications Center this year. Shannon Larson, Human Resource Director for the county, reported Tuesday that due to some retirements, they would need to look at filling...
DHS Seeks to Improve Communication Between Public Safety Agencies in Joint Emergency Response Scenarios
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) jointly announced today that the Integrated Justice Information Systems (IJIS) Institute will...
Police Department Dedicates New Chief Mark Minichini Communications Center (NJ)
BELLEVILLE, NJ – The Belleville Police Department’s new communications center will not only provide officers with upgraded equipment to help them continue to keep residents safe and secure, but it will help keep the officers safe, too. The center where police, fire...
NENA Releases NG9-1-1 Data Flow Standard
In the evolving environment of Next Generation 9-1-1, the data received will change and come from different sources. The NENA NG9-1-1 Data Flow Standard seeks to inform on E9-1-1 and NG9-1-1 data flow issues and identify at least a few transition issues for additional...
911 operator in Robeson County given Lifesaver Award for efforts to save woman (NC)
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW) – For nearly three years, telecommunicator Cierra Campbell has worked at the Robeson County 9-1-1 Center. She said she answered a call from a resident in the community who was distraught. “He said, ‘I just got home and found my mother on...
Taxi Driver Delivers Baby With The Help Of A 911 Dispatcher (OR)
Rio Gilinski had only been a 911 emergency operator for 10 months in Jackson County, Oregon, when a very “special” call came in. It was a call from a taxi driver in the city of Ashland, and he was carrying a woman who was carrying something of her own… a baby. And...
911 dispatch call center improves information gathering (OH)
Dialing 911 in the heat of a crisis may not be the best place to learn process, but for many who are used to dialing and simply demanding a squad run: be prepared for more thorough questions. “People as a whole, don’t like change,” explained Lt. Jeni Erb. But a...
LCECC in the midst of push for reclassification of dispatch workers at state level (KS)
A new piece of legislation currently in the review stages will help to bring more recognition to the work of dispatchers across the state of Kansas. During a recent installment of KVOE's Talk of Emporia, Lyon County Emergency Communications Center Director Roxanne Van...
“Changing Role of the TC in NG9-1-1” Standard Available for Public Review & Comment
NENA's Changing Role of the Telecommunicator in NG9-1-1 Standard is intended to provide an understanding of how NG9‑1‑1 will change the role of the telecommunicator and guidance to assist in educating stakeholders and decision makers on this evolution. To...
GRU demands Alachua County pay $1.6 million for public safety radio system, meeting to be held Monday (FL)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - The radio dispatch system used to send ambulances on emergency calls in Gainesville and Alachua County is at the center of a dispute between GRU, the city, and the county. Leaders from the City of Gainesville and Alachua County are meeting...
FirstNet Network Adoption Grows, New Mission-Ready Solutions Launch
The following is a statement from Edward Parkinson, CEO of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), on key network developments:
The FirstNet Authority is pleased to see the adoption of the FirstNet network continue to grow at a fast pace. First responders need a network that works for them, and with the number of connections almost doubling since late 2019, it is clear that FirstNet is providing them with the capabilities they want and need.
It is also exciting to see how FirstNet is transforming the marketplace for public safety. These new mission-ready solutions are delivering innovative capabilities into the hands of first responders. Through our engagements with public safety, they identified these features as essential to advancing the FirstNet user experience, so we are thrilled to see them move from concept to reality.
The High-Power User Equipment (HPUE) solution, called FirstNet MegaRange(link is external), is a great example of how the FirstNet Authority is driving targeted solutions for public safety that take advantage of the unique characteristics that Band 14 spectrum offers. HPUE will boost connectivity for FirstNet users, especially those operating in remote areas, by leveraging the highest power class signaling available in the U.S.
The availability of Compact Rapid Deployables provides public safety with another unique coverage solution that allows them to “take the network with them” on short notice. The FirstNet Authority will continue to target the advancement of unique coverage solutions for public safety, as outlined in our Roadmap.
Enhancing situational awareness is also a key element of our Roadmap. The need to locate and share personnel location was emphasized to us throughout our engagements with public safety. The launch this week of the Z-axis feature is a significant first step in providing a solution to public safety to meet their unique location needs. Finally, first responders are now able to connect their LMR seamlessly with users on FirstNet PTT(link is external) and vice versa. This means first responders will be able to work together more easily and take advantage of all communications capabilities available to them.
Moving forward, the FirstNet Authority looks forward to continuing to work with the public safety community to innovate and advance their network and grow an ecosystem of products and services that are tailored to their unique operational needs.
Radio silence: As police encrypt dispatch transmissions, questions build on the public’s right to know (CA)
Police departments throughout the Midpeninsula are following in the footsteps of the Palo Alto Police Department, which on Jan. 5 abruptly announced it would immediately encrypt its dispatch radio communications — a longtime source of information for residents and the...
Non-emergency calls to 911 straining emergency response in Escambia County (FL)
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) — Escambia County Emergency Management is working to combat ongoing staffing shortages in the department that's strained employees from working their normal duties. First responders are now asking callers to consider their situation...
Athens police employees honored on retirement (TX)
They served Athens as members of the police department for more than a quarter-century; this week, Sgt. Brett W. Morman and Dispatcher Patricia D. Garza received good wishes and honors from the department for their contributions which began under Chief David Harris in...
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...
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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