Comm Center News
FirstNet One Takes to the Skies | Elevates Public Safety Communications Following Hurricane Laura
By Jason Porter, Senior Vice President, FirstNet Program at AT&T
It has been a week since Hurricane Laura came ashore as a massive Category 4 storm. I was on the ground with our network teams in Louisiana and saw firsthand the terrible conditions left in her wake: trees down, houses destroyed, as well as knocking out power and water to hundreds of thousands. But it is commonly said that we are at our best when Mother Nature does her worst. And Hurricane Laura is just the latest example in a year that has included a nationwide pandemic, wildfires in the west, tornadoes in the east and even a derecho in the Midwest. READ MORE
Merrimac police moves dispatch operations to new police station (MA)
Police Chief Eric Shears recently announced that the Merrimac Police Department will begin operating out of its brand new police station Aug. 25. The building project has reached substantial completion. Dispatch and 911 equipment will be moved Aug. 25 from the old...
Watch: Introducing New Orleans’ new 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Infrastructure (LA)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD), in partnership with the City of New Orleans and AT&T, held a press conference to announce the upcoming modernization of 9-1-1 services infrastructure within Orleans Parish to NextGen 9-1-1...
In CAHOOTS in Oregon; Organization works with Law Enforcement and Dispatch (OR)
Ebony Morgan drives her van through the streets of Eugene, Ore., until she reaches a man curled up on the sidewalk under the eaves of a building. As a crisis worker for the nonprofit CAHOOTS, she was alerted by an emergency dispatcher that the man needed a welfare...
911 dispatchers warn accidental hang-ups could be a public safety issue (IN)
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI)- When you're in an emergency, 911 is the first number you dial and in moments... they're there. However, sometimes we dial it by accident and dispatchers say it could do more harm than good. 911 dispatcher, Kirsten Chovanov-Redman tells us,...
‘I made a mistake’ says former Sturgis public safety chief accused of drunken driving (MI)
STURGIS, MI — Former Sturgis public safety chief Geoffrey Smith is still awaiting arraignment in an alleged drunken driving case that led to the resignation of the longtime officer. Moments after the Aug. 15 crash, as depicted in body cam video obtained by MLive,...
Luke Wilson to Host ABC Unscripted Series ‘Emergency Call’ About 9-1-1 Operators (Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJKHNzbUc9k#action=share Luke Wilson is set to host and executive produce a new unscripted series about 9-1-1 operators at ABC, the network announced Thursday. Titled “Emergency Call,” the hour-long documentary series will follow “the...
Woodland mayor objects to $2.21M for Yolo Dispatch (CA)
Saying that it’s costing the city $6,000 a day or $250 an hour, Woodland Mayor Rich Lansburgh has called for a review of a $2.215 million contract with the Yolo Emergency Communications Agency. The service pays for dispatchers who “dispatch” firefighters and police as...
Don’t count on it: Lexington behind on census numbers, may impact public safety and emergency preparedness (NC)
The City of Lexington began rolling out its “My City, I Count” awareness campaign in 2019 to prepare residents for this years' census, which is held nationally every 10 years. Greene said there has been a big push to get everyone in the city to participate to get an...
Dispatch center seeks to update business directory (GA)
McDONOUGH COUNTY — The Macomb/McDonough County Communications Center has begun the updating process for an after-hours emergency database of McDonough County businesses. In a press release, 911 Director Eric Lenardt said that the dispatch center worked with the Macomb...
EMPLOYEES DEVELOP UNIQUE WORKPLACE
Emergency responders learned to master indispensable HAZMAT (hazardous materials) skills during a recent on-site training course, the first of its kind at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Instructors leveraged classroom sessions and practical scenarios to help dozens of...
Metropolitan Emergency Communications Association to get new dispatch system (AR)
Members of the MECA (Metropolitan Emergency Communications Association) board voted Thursday to purchase a new computer aided dispatch system to replace the system which was last upgraded in 2007. The board is made up of the Jefferson County Judge and Sheriff, the...
Police Executive Research Forum: How changes to 9-1-1 call-taking and dispatching can improve police responses
Key Takeaways-- Public safety agencies are examining how changes to 9-1-1 call-taking and dispatching can improve police responses and help accomplish the goals of police reform.-- Innovations include:Incorporating mental health clinicians into 9-1-1 centers, where...
Next Generation 9-1-1 Innovator Welcomes Sharon Counterman as Senior Project Manager
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NGA 911, LLC, a leading provider of Next Generation 9-1-1 solutions, today announced that former public safety consultant, Sharon Counterman, joined the company as Senior Project Manager. Ms. Counterman comes to the NGA 911...
Coordinating Emergency Communications
One of the many lessons learned from the Smart Cities movement is that you can achieve significant improvement in community safety and resilience when you use network technologies to facilitate communications and data sharing. Information gets to responders more...
Maygra: An open letter to Columbia 9-1-1 district leadership (OR)
Dear Mr. Michael Fletcher, director of Columbia 9-1-1: As a taxpayer in the Columbia 9-1-1 Communication District, I feel compelled to address some concerns I have about some actions being taken at 9-1-1. The issue I am referring to is regarding the committee you have...
Prince George sees another record month of 9-1-1 overdose calls (British Columbia)
Prince George has seen another month with well over 100 overdose calls – a city that normally averages 52 calls per month. In August, paramedics responded to 129 overdose calls in the northern capital, which is one more than July’s 128 calls to BC Emergency Health...
State trooper, dispatcher honored for heroism in saving 17-year-old girl (IN)
RIPLEY COUNTY, In. (FOX19) - An Indiana state trooper and a dispatcher are being hailed as heroes after helping save a woman from a burning car. Sgt. Jared Black works out of the ISP post in Versailles, In. According to Black, a 17-year-old girl called 911 in late...
PSHSB Seeks Comment on Emergency Access to Wi-Fi Access Points
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) seeks comment on the feasibility of allowing emergency access to providers’ Wi-Fi access points, as directed by the RAY BAUM’s Act of 2018. The RAY...
DC 911 head responds to claim of spike in dispatches to wrong, nonexistent addresses (DC)
The head of the District of Columbia’s emergency call center tells WTOP “there is not a systematic problem with DC 911,” in response to allegations that fire and EMS crews have been sent to wrong addresses more times this year than the last five years combined. Safety...
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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