Comm Center News

POLICE/FIRE 911 DISPATCHER (OH)

Description Primary responsibilities for this position include receiving, dispatching, and processing calls and messages for police, fire and rescue services. Dispatchers rotate through three separate shifts.  Salary Range: $35,252 to $48,729 annually plus shift...

Campus Police Dispatcher

The Police Dispatcher performs technical communications work in support of campus police operations. Work involves receiving emergency and non-emergency calls, monitoring alarms and CCTV systems, obtaining and relaying information, and dispatching appropriate...

New 9-1-1 dispatcher helps NWT mom deliver baby (Canada)

On Wednesday, 9-1-1 managers announced dispatcher Christopher Moore had joined the "Stork Club" – the select group of dispatchers, worldwide, who have handled such calls. Ashley Geraghty, who manages the NWT's 9-1-1 program, said Moore received a "distraught call for...

Storm anxiety leads to rise in 9-1-1 calls (FL)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — As severe weather crawled across the Panhandle on Thursday, 9-1-1 calls rang throughout the morning at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center. “[It’s been] pretty steady all day,” said Bay County Communications Supervisor, Brian Hardin. “It...

The Continuing Saga Of Bilking Public Safety To Protect Market Share

By Al Gillespie, Fire Chief (Ret)
What do you call it when someone tells you one thing but continues to do something that isn’t exactly inline with what they’ve said? You could say it’s a slight error. You could say it’s just a matter of perspective. You could say it’s a harmless exaggeration. Or you could say it’s willful lying to protect a market share by duping members of public safety.
I’ve been involved in the quest for a dedicated public safety network for over a decade. We have it right now. The public safety network is called FirstNet and it’s here now. Not all over the country yet but it’s at about the 80% build out phase.
There are five major networks around the country, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile and FirstNet. Each of these have a separate core and operate as a stand alone network. FirstNet, which operates on Band 14, is being built for public safety by AT&T and monitored by the Federal Government, through the First Responder Network Authority (a division of NTIA and the Department of Commerce, because they won the twenty-five year contract through a competitive RFP). It is, and always will be, public safety’s network.
All of the networks, except FirstNet, are commercial networks. No matter what you’ve heard.
During the build out of our network by AT&T, they offered their entire network as needed to public safety IN ADDITION to FirstNet.
So some of those companies listed above, not AT&T and not FirstNet, continue to spout those things I mentioned in the first paragraph to take advantage of the pre-established relationships, to take advantage of public safety folks who may not be as informed as they could be about FirstNet, and to continue to cloud the waters of what is available through FirstNet compared to their commercial networks.
So here’s what I’m hearing, and here’s what I believe those in public safety deserve to know.
We have Band 13 and it’s equal or better than Band 14. Wrong!
Band 14 is a completely separate core and network. I really don’t know what this unicorn Band 13 is but even if it’s a thing it’s carved out of a commercial network and subjected to all the limitations of a commercial network.
We have priority and preemption for public safety. Here’s one of those exaggerations I was talking about.
Only FirstNet built by AT&T offers priority and preemption seamlessly, without public safety having to asking for it, and is monitored for compliance by the Federal Government through the Authority. If you don’t believe it just ask around to public safety organizations that have been subjected to throttling and disrupted service just like those on a commercial network.
We’ll send deployables to support you. This is true but….
If you’re a FirstNet built by AT&T customer and you ask for deployables to support emergency or non emergency events there is no additional cost to you for this service. Try that with anyone else. This is also mandated and monitored by the Federal Government through the Authority,
So, everyone has coverage (and everyone has areas that need improvement, FirstNet built by AT&T is moving rapidly to meet the established goals and deadlines associated with our network) and everyone has competitive pricing. My question is if the coverage is there, why would any public safety agency not use or change to our network, FirstNet?
If I were still an active Fire Chief, not retired, and something happened in my area of responsibility and had a communication problem that put my responders or citizens in jeopardy when FirstNet was available to me, and I chose not to change to it when it could have helped maintain communications, I’d expect to see the attorneys lining up outside my door.
Chief Al H Gillespie is the President of the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association and has served the fire service for almost 40 years including 15 years as the Fire Chief of three large city fire departments. Chief Gillespie served as the President of the International Association of Chiefs (IAFC) 2011-12 Chief Gillespie serves as the Principal of Executive Fire Consultants.

NENA Awards First-Ever Wendy Day Scholarship for Women in 9-1-1

27 minutes ago   (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanNENA is proud to announce the first-ever recipient of the Wendy Day Memorial Scholarship is Megan Hamilton of Decatur County Communications in Indiana.
This newly established scholarship will send one deserving woman per year to NENA’s 9-1-1 Goes to Washington conference, in honor of Wendy Day’s feminism, passion for 9-1-1 policy, and dedication to the betterment of public safety. The scholarship is made possible by a donation from 911 Authority, LLC.
Megan is a third-year supervisor at Decatur County Communications. She has great passion for her work and her coworkers as well as ambition for the future and helping others in her community.
“Thanks to this scholarship and the support of 911 Authority, many women will benefit from attending 9-1-1 Goes to Washington,” said NENA President Monica Million, ENP. “Whether learning from the sessions, meeting with legislators, or finding mentors, the recipient of this scholarship will gain truly impactful and meaningful experience.”
Wendy Day was a Senior Policy Consultant at 911 Authority,LLC, with 13 years of experience in improving 9-1-1 systems. She passed away in 2019, leaving a remarkable legacy of service to the community.
“Wendy touched many lives in the public safety community,” said Sara Weston, PMP, ENP, Senior Project Consultant at 911 Authority. “This scholarship embodies her spirit by giving women the opportunity to learn and thrive, to receive the gift of community, and to share it with others.”

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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