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Dispatchers, new software saving lives (IA)
LEE COUNTY – LeeComm dispatcher Tony Keefe has less than a year of certification with Lee County’s new Total Response software, but the time training came in handy on Nov. 20. Keefe was manning a LeeComm E911 line on that day when a call came in from a man whose wife...
Frederick County, Virginia implements new 911 technology
FREDERICK COUNTY, Va. (WDVM) — Frederick County Virginia Public Safety Communications now has new technology to help improve 911 calls. The new technology, called NextGen 911, will make it easier for 911 dispatchers to pinpoint a person’s location. “It allows us to...
Champaign County Sheriff’s Office launches Text-to-911 program (OH)
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY — The Champaign County Sheriff’s office announced its dispatch center can now accept text messages through the “Text-to-911″ program. To use the 911 feature, all you have to do is input 911 as your number to text, the sheriff’s office said. The...
Dickinson Public Safety Center will soon better pinpoint 9-1-1 calls (ND)
Dickinson Police Lt. Mike Hanel sat down with The Dickinson Press to walk through the new program that 9-1-1 operators will soon integrate into their system, saying the program will shorten response times for Dickinson and Stark County emergency responders and...
Columbus public safety employees to receive bonuses (GA)
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Columbus City Council approved a resolution today allocating higher pay for sign-on bonuses for public safety employees. $5000 bonuses will be given to any person who joins the Columbus Police Department, Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office or...
The first ‘first responders’: What it’s like to work at Tillamook 911 (OR)
Tillamook County Emergency Communications District (Tillamook 911) answers all 911 and non-emergency calls throughout Tillamook County. They are the first ‘first responders’ to emergencies. Administrator Tiffany Miller said there is no typical day at the dispatch...
OHP retires *55; becomes second public safety answering point (OK)
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is retiring *55 after almost 30 years of use. Drivers can now call 911 no matter their location in the state, and the call will be routed to the appropriate OHP Communications Center. OHP will become a second...
Hancock County enters into $1.5 million agreement for new communications tower (IA)
Construction will proceed on a new Hancock County communications tower near Oak Avenue and Highway 18, just east of Duncan. The county has entered into an agreement with Motorola for the new tower, which has a total projected cost of just over $1.52 million dollars....
Methuen police welcome 2 new bilingual 911 dispatchers (MA)
METHUEN — Calling 911 in a time of need can no doubt be a harrowing experience, but local residents now have the opportunity to connect with two new calm voices on the other end of the line with the addition of Yenifer Cabreja and Larissa Alves to the Police...
Benton County Central Communications loses power during storm (AR)
BENTONVILLE -- Benton County Central Communications lost electricity when a storm rolled through Friday night, a county official said Monday. Robert McGowen, county administrator of public safety, said he was notified at 7:27 p.m. Friday that Central Communications,...
911 Central Dispatch Director Leaving (MI)
December 14, 2021 The director of Livingston County’s 911 Central Dispatch is leaving for greener pastures. Chad Chewning tells WHMI that his last day on the job as the Director for Livingston County 911 Central Dispatch will be January 2nd, after which he will become...
Where do 911 fees go? Key statistics from the FCC’s annual 911 fee report (Part 2)
Each year for the past 12 years, the Federal Communications Commission has gathered information from states and territories about their 911 fee collection, distribution and general operations and put it together in a report to Congress. Usually published in early...
Dispatchers from around the state graduated from the Public Safety Dispatch Academy (KY)
RICHMOND, Ky. (WTVQ/GOV.BESHEAR OFFICE) – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) announced that 17 dispatchers from across the state graduated from the Public Safety Dispatch Academy, They are ready to begin answering the...
Utilities ask FCC to delay opening of 6 GHz to protect public safety
Published on December 10, 2021 by Hil Anderson A coalition of utility groups and other current occupants of the 6 GHz communications band filed a pair of petitions with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week to block an expected tidal wave of the new...
First responders, holiday blues and Vitamin D
That first whiff of fresh-cut pine; the overabundance of pumpkin-spiced everything; a gentle glow of candle flame and the infectious giddiness of a child’s anticipation – the holiday season can certainly be a joyous time! However, for those in public safety and shift...
‘A critical link’: Area dispatch centers hope to attract more to profession as retention drops (CO)
Lara Vanderbilt’s work schedule is anything but a 9 to 5. Some weeks during her training, as a dispatcher with the Boulder County Communications Center, she works 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other weeks, those times are flipped to an overnight shift. But an unordinary,...
Zephyrhills man thanks 911 dispatcher who helped save his life (FL)
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Pasco County family got to meet and thank their hero behind the headset. “We just feel we were blessed that he was the one that answered that call,” Christy Hupp said. “It was just meant to be.” The Hupp family from Zephyrhills credits...
Man arrested for abuse of 911 after allegedly calling dispatch 25 times (TX)
A man landed in jail in November for allegedly calling 9-1-1 at least 25 times. According to court documents: In April, police responded to a reported family disturbance. A dispatcher told the officers a man and woman could be heard yelling over the phone. The officers arrived at the address and announced their presence. A man said “hang on” and answered the door holding his jeans up around his waist. He told police there was no disturbance and he was just spending time with his wife. Officers saw an unclothed woman on the couch. She told the officers she was fine. More:Crime of the Week: Reward offered for info on arson casesIn May, officers were sent back to the same address for a disturbance where a man and woman could be heard arguing while on a 9-1-1 call. Both denied calling 9-1-1 and said someone else had their phone. The officers saw the woman holding a phone and asked her to call 9-1-1. When she called, it was the same number associated with the previous calls. The officers warned the couple about abuse of 9-1-1 calls. The woman said it was an accident. During their investigation, police discovered 25 calls were made to 9-1-1 from the number. In some of the calls, dispatchers could hear a man and woman yelling. Sometimes the person would hang up after the dispatcher answered the phone. In late November, police arrested the man and charged him with Silent or Abusive Calls to 9-1-1 Service. His bond was set at $1,000 by a judge. More:Vernon ex-pastor sentenced for raping 15-year-oldWichita Falls Police Spokesman Sgt. Charlie Eipper said if you accidently call 9-1-1, do not hang up. Simply explain it was an accident, and do not be surprised if the police show up. Emergency services will call the number back or go to the location to make sure someone is not in need of help.Some other tips to avoid accidentally calling 9-1-1, from E-Com 911:Store your cell phone carefully and lock it when not in use.Keep your phone in a case or holster when not in use.Utilize a phone’s key lock feature if available to avoid accidental calls.Do not program 9-1-1 into a phone, the speed dial can cause accidental calls.If you accidentally dialed 9-1-1 in the past, delete the number from your call history to avoid accidentally calling the number again.
Standing in Support of New Mexico’s Hometown Heroes
By Thomas Randall, Senior Public Safety Advisor for New Mexico, First Responder Network Authority Every day first responders step out into the frontlines to protect and serve their communities. In the last decade, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMS...
Police Department to double dispatching staff, handle Statesboro Fire Dept. traffic (GA)
With authorization from City Council, the Statesboro Fire Department and Statesboro Police Department are moving forward with a plan to merge the dispatching of fire calls – after the initial callout by 911 – into the existing SPD dispatching center at police...
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.
PETITIONSMORE>
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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