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KSP telecommunicator, other first responders recognized for efforts during Mayfield tornado (KY)
MAYFIELD, Ky. (KFVS) - A Kentucky State Police telecommunicator was recognized, along with other first responders, for their work during the Mayfield tornado. They were recognized by the Kentucky Emergency Management Association on March 9. According to a news release...
Seconds to respond – too long to sign on?
By Anu Appaji, Domain Lead, Secure Information Exchange, First Responder Network Authority It’s the beginning of a tour of duty for an officer in a typical police department. The officer leaves the roll call briefing and checks out her equipment for the day—a radio,...
Williams Communications Services to Supply PowerTrunk Tetra System for Ontario (Canada)
The objective of the project is to replace aging legacy and end-of-life (EOL) infrastructure and radios with a more reliable, robust, and scalable solution based on an open standard technology. PowerTrunk, Inc. announces that Williams Communication Services Inc....
Dramatic 911 call to Knox Regional Communications happily culminates with birth of baby boy (ME)
LINCOLNVILLE – At 10:07 a.m., January 16, 2022, Knox Regional Communications Center Dispatcher Tracie Webster received a call for a woman in active labor. She initiated emergency protocols and toned North East Mobile Health Services, the ambulance company that...
Roswell Fire Department Reduces Response Time With GPS Tracker (GA)
ROSWELL, GA — The Roswell Fire Department will be able to respond quicker now that its 911 Center is using a GPS tracker to dispatch the closest emergency response vehicle to a caller's location. The department said in a news release Monday that it's utilizing...
Police communications app expanding into Connecticut
A mobile app that is meant to improve communication between police departments and the public has been picked up by two Connecticut police departments, with a handful of other departments considering it as well. The app, Atlas One, is currently in use by the Rocky...
GOV. BESHEAR ORDERS FLAGS TO HALF-STAFF IN HONOR OF POLICE TELECOMMUNICATOR (KY)
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 7, 2022) –Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Tuesday, March 8, in honor of a Kentucky State Police (KSP) telecommunicator who died Sunday, Feb. 27. Police...
Public Safety Advocate: Redefining Push-To-Talk, Reader Survey
The Webster Dictionary defines “Unified” as “Brought together as one.” Under the public-safety Incident Command (IC) structure, “Unified” means “Unified Command (UC): In incidents involving multiple jurisdictions, a single jurisdiction with multiagency involvement, or...
Bell Country struggling to hire 911 operators; leading to concerns over emergency response times (TX)
BELTON, Texas (KWTX) - There are fewer 911 call takers and dispatchers to respond to emergency calls at the Bell County Communication Center as a nationwide worker shortage slows down the hiring process. The Bell County 911 Center in Belton received about 700 calls...
Commission approves contract for 911 equipment (WV)
WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission has approved a $3,050,000 contract with Motorola Solutions to provide equipment for the county’s emergency 911 center and first responders. The county commissioners said the contract approved Tuesday is for 10 years and...
Central Ohio 911 dispatchers honored for crucial work during a February call
DUBLIN, Ohio (WSYX) —Monday, 911 telecommunicators and members of Hilliard Police were honored by the Kyle Plush Answer the Call Foundation. The foundation was started by the Plush family in 2018. Kyle Plush, a Cincinnati teen, died after getting trapped in their...
Demand for 911 dispatchers on the rise in Palm Bay (FL)
PALM BAY, Fla. — They are the eyes and ears for first responders, connecting them with the public needing help, while keeping safe — the demand for 911 dispatchers is growing, and one Space Coast department needs more of them now. It's time for Officer Matthew Harris...
EU requires Galileo for smartphone emergency calls (Europe)
As of March 17, all smartphones sold in the European Union must be leveraging Galileo signals in addition to other GNSS for calls to the European 112 (E112) emergency number. Using Galileo enhances pinpointing locations of 112 calls in Europe, resulting in faster...
Flagler Sheriff’s 911 Communications Center Re-Accredited (FL)
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and representatives of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) have accepted re-accreditation honors for the FCSO Communications Center. The presentation took place during the 2022 Florida Telecommunications Accreditation...
Bedford 911 Communications Center receives upgrade to emergency medical call system (VA)
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - 911 dispatchers are our first point of contact on some of our most difficult moments. That’s why it’s so important that they have as many tools as possible to help. “We are truly the first first responders,” says Judson Smith, Director of...
MetroSafe dispatcher helps to save family during mobile home fire (KY)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jefferson County Fire Service honored an emergency dispatcher who saved a mother and two children last month. Chaka Mask, who works at MetroSafe, received a call about a fire at a mobile home on Minor Lane on Feb. 9. Mask helped to calm...
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published its Contingency Planning Guide for Emergency Communications Funding
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in partnership with SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC), has published the Contingency Planning Guide for Emergency Communications Funding. This new resource...
San Bruno Police: Radio system fixes will be costly (CA)
San Bruno could soon need to shell out millions to upgrade its police communication systems, both to comply with state law and improve spotty radio signal, according to Police Chief Ryan Johansen, who estimated the task could cost as much as $5 million. Johansen made...
Tucson appoints new director to lead historically troubled 911 call center (AZ)
City officials recently appointed Sharon McDonough the director of Tucson’s historically troubled Public Safety Communications Department, the office that houses the city’s 911 call center. McDonough has over three decades of experience working for the city, having...
Schenectady County unveils $19M emergency radio system (NY)
ROTTERDAM — When the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office responded to incidents in the western parts of the county as recently as last year, officers would often have to communicate with one another using cell phones due to long-standing inadequacies in the county’s...
Reauthorization SurveyMORE>
PSBTA Releases Survey on First Responder Support for FirstNet Reauthorization
New Survey: First Responders Overwhelmingly Support Reauthorization of FirstNet
A new bipartisan national survey commissioned by the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association finds near- unanimous support among first responders for reauthorizing the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)– the agency overseeing America’s dedicated public safety broadband network.
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Congress should reauthorize the FirstNet Authority now.
Support the reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority to preserve public safety’s network
PSBTA UpdatesMORE>
Podcast
FirstNet and the 4.9 GHz Spectrum
This episode dives into the critical evolution of public safety communications, focusing on the recent FCC decision to establish a nationwide Band Manager framework for the 4.9 GHz spectrum, and discuss the evolution and deployment of the FirstNet System. Host Chris Tubbs interviews Chief Jeff Johnson, a leader in public safety technology and the development of FirstNet. Together, they explore the history, governance, and transformative potential of FirstNet and the 4.9 GHz spectrum in enhancing public safety operations with emerging technologies like AI, 5G, and augmented reality. The discussion emphasizes the importance of protecting and optimizing public safety spectrum, the lessons learned from past advocacy efforts, and a call to action for public safety leaders to remain engaged in ensuring the spectrum’s effective use and governance.
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Public Sector GrantsMORE>
Webinar
Accessing Federal Resources When an Emergency or Major Disaster Strikes
In light of the major disasters that our nation has recently experienced, PS Grants is offering this FREE webinar to review Disaster Assistance Programs and how to access them. Learn what federal funds and resources are available through Disaster Assistance, understand the process of requesting assistance, know what to expect before, during, and after, and find out who to contact for help.
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