Top Comm Center Headlines
News & Articles
Baby delivered while on phone with Grand Traverse 911 dispatcher (MI)
WEXFORD COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Woman and her husband were on their way to the hospital but her baby had other plans. Early Saturday morning a baby was welcomed into the world in an exciting way. Soomin Czelusta delivered her baby on the way to the hospital with...
Answering the call: 911 dispatchers stretched thin and under high stress (WI)
BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - Help wanted. It’s beginning to sound like a broken record as nearly every industry struggles to fill job openings. The people who answer your 911 calls are no exception. But the longer those jobs stay vacant, the more stress for those who...
County approves funding for 911 center upgrades (NC)
Perquimans County is replacing aged-out equipment in the 911 emergency communications center. The county Board of Commissioners approved budget amendments for the project at the board’s regular meeting Nov. 1. “We are pleased to be able to proceed with this...
Year-long 9-1-1 call diversion pilot project now in effect in Toronto (Canada)
For the next year, people in crisis in downtown Toronto who call 911 for help will be better connected with the appropriate mental health supports they need. Earlier this week, Toronto Police Service (TPS) and Gerstein Crisis Centre (GCC) launched a one-year 9-1-1...
County 911 consolidation could be costly (OH)
LISBON — County 911 officials continue to look at public-safety answering point (PSAP) consolidation for the county, but funding it could be costly. Members of the 911 Emergency Service Committee held their quarterly meeting Thursday at the county EMA building, a...
Spartanburg Co. 911 call center seeking operators (SC)
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – The workforce shortage continues to impact the lives of many people across the nation. Dialing 911, in an emergency situation, is a call you never want to have to make. “Being 911, you are the first, first-responder,” said Tristan...
Emergency Telecommunications Centers Are a Vital Part of a Life-Saving System (Washington DC)
Each year an estimated 350,000 sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) events occur in the United States in an out-of-hospital environment. In 2020, D.C. Fire and EMS reported 964 SCAs in D.C. with only a 4.7% survival rate. An SCA occurs when the heart’s electrical system...
Yates County 911 chief dispatcher dies of Covid (NY)
YATES COUNTY -- A statement released Nov. 1 by Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike revealed that one of the most valued members of the Sheriff's Office and her husband have both died from complications of COVID-19. "It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of...
Marion County now one of 7 W.Va. counties to offer Text-to-911 service (WV)
FAIRMONT — Marion County residents can now report an emergency by texting 911 instead of making a phone call. The Text-to-911 service was first available to a limited number of cities across the country in 2014. Since that time, the service has become more widely...
Union of 911 dispatchers warns of system overload due to staff shortages (Canada)
The union that represents E-Comm 911-Dispatcher says the emergency services are facing a major staff shortage and warns that the system is ill-prepared for a major crisis. BC’s emergency communications experts, CUPE Local 8911, said in a statement that people calling...
Ryan proposes developing public safety communications center (NY)
KINGSTON – In the upcoming 2022 budget, Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan is proposing a centralized emergency response center to help with 911 emergencies and non-emergencies. “Think of this as the central nervous system for emergency response,” said Ryan. “It...
‘A light at the end of the tunnel’: Flagstaff’s police dispatch unit recovering from major staffing shortages (AZ)
Emergency communications specialist Nicholas Genchi mans his station in the Flagstaff Police Departments Dispatch Center Wednesday afternoon. BRADY WHEELER Sun Staff Reporter When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and stay-at-home orders swept across the country, thousands...
Dispatcher celebrates 30 years helping others (IN)
Angie Hadley believes she remembers her first emergency dispatch call. She remembers the caller being angry – she believes about fireworks going off – and cussing her out over the noise. Hadley was not a full-time employee for the City of Shelbyville at the time. She...
Council to consider 911 services consolidation (NC)
In an emergency, every minute counts. That’s why leaders in Asheville and Buncombe County are considering coordinating their emergency dispatch services to improve response time and provide more consistent and effective service delivery. During their meeting of...
At other end of 911 calls in Santa Fe, a different emergency (AZ)
Nov. 7—Eight workers at the local 911 dispatch center were answering calls for help Friday morning. That was almost half the staff. The Santa Fe Regional Emergency Communications Center, a critical public safety agency, has been wrangling with a severe worker shortage...
FirstNet Cell Site Launches in Wayne County, NC to Support Public Safety
New Infrastructure Will Help Advance Public Safety, Improve Connectivity for Area Residents and Visitors What's the news? Wayne County's first responders are getting a major boost in their wireless communications thanks to the FirstNet® network expansion currently...
Crawford County panel approves employee premium pay, 911 center (AR)
VAN BUREN -- An effort to give Crawford County essential employees an extra one-time payment through American Rescue Plan money advanced last week. The Crawford County American Rescue Plan Committee approved proposals from four county entities totalling more than $2.3...
Pepperell Police Officers and Regional Dispatcher Team Up to Save Resident (MA)
PEPPERELL — Chief David Scott is pleased to report that two Pepperell Police Officers and a dispatcher from the Patriot Regional Communications Center (PRECC) teamed up to help save a resident from an apparent heart attack. On Friday, Oct. 29, PRECC received a...
An Open Letter to City Council and the City Manager on Police Encryption. (CA)
We, the undersigned, are writing to express our concern about the recent decision by the Berkeley City Council, the City Manager, and the Berkeley Police Department to use encrypted public safety radio devices in Berkeley. It is our understanding that the City of...
Funding crucial to stopping ‘catastrophic failure’ of B.C.’s 911 system, union says (Canada)
VANCOUVER - The union representing B.C.'s 911 dispatchers says funding is crucial to stopping the system's potential "catastrophic failure." In recent months E-Comm, B.C.'s multi-municipality agency that connects 911 callers to the proper emergency service...
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.
LISTEN TO PODCAST
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.
REGISTER
Subscribe to Comm Center News
Get the latest News, Articles, and Insights from AllThingsECC.com weekly in our newsletter.
Stay Up to Date With The Latest News & Updates
Share Your Story
Join our community to share your experience and connect and collaborate with colleagues.
Join Our Newsletter
Get the latest News, Articles, and Insights from AllThingsECC.com weekly in our newsletter.
Follow Us
Stay connected with the latestEmergency Communications News, Articles & Information.



