Top Comm Center Headlines
News & Articles
County EMO unveils $650K projects (NY)
JOHNSTOWN –The Fulton County Emergency Management Office is proposing over $650,000 in capital projects for 2022 — projects involving upgrades for both the office and to the dispatch console. Office Director Steven Santa Maria recently brought his proposed projects to...
The Pueblo Fire Department missed its 2020 response time goal by more than 3 minutes. Here’s why. (CO)
The Pueblo Fire Department’s average total response time increased last year to nearly 10 minutes, and the department leader said a growing service area and new dispatch system are the main reasons for the rise. The total response time for all emergency calls — that...
Area first responders recognized after saving a mother and 18-month-old baby (MO)
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Six first responders from northwest Missouri are credited with saving a mother and her 18-month-old baby in mid April earlier this year. The group was recognized at Missouri Highway Patrol Troop H Headquarters today. The Missouri Association of...
County dispatch office also suffers from a short staff (WA)
Many businesses on San Juan Island are struggling with being short-staffed, but the shortage of dispatchers makes for a dangerous situation. Robin DeLazerda started her work as a dispatch officer on the island on Sept. 12, 2001 — the day after 9/11. She is currently...
Telecommunicator Loves Helping People (VA)
Leslie Cheatham is a person who has spent most of her life helping others, whether as a telecommunicator for the Town of Farmville, an EMT in her earlier years as a in Campbell County and Pamplin or as a community member who tries to quietly help others' satisfy...
DHS, SecureLogix Enter NG9-1-1 Cybersecurity Program’s 2nd Phase; Kathryn Coulter Mitchell Quoted
The Department of Homeland Security has selected San Antonio-based SecureLogix to proceed with the second phase of a cybersecurity architecture designed to protect multimedia content in Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency communication systems. SecureLogix...
Cambria names emergency chief (PA)
EBENSBURG — Cambria County’s Emergency Management Director will soon have new shoes to fill. Art Martynuska, who has been in charge of emergency services in Cambria County for the past three years, was named the acting deputy director of 911 Thursday following the...
Centre 9-1-1 sees shortage of operators, high calls during Wednesday weather (PA)
CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Centre County 9-1-1 received 565 calls in four hours during Wednesday’s thunderstorms. Dispatchers were answering just over two calls per minute, all while facing an employee shortage. “9-1-1 is suffering manpower problems across...
Minnesota EMS union says new uniforms too closely resemble police
MINNEAPOLIS — As Hennepin EMS gets set to unveil its new blue uniforms, after decades of showing up at emergency scenes in their trademark "UPS brown," the paramedics union on Wednesday argued that the change could potentially put lives at risk by...
Hampden emergency services now dispatched out of Wilbraham (MA)
WILBRAHAM — The town is now dispatching emergency services for Hampden and Wilbraham. As of midnight on June 30, Hampden’s dispatch operation “went dark,” said Town Administrator Bob Markel. The transition of the Hampden operation to Wilbraham has been a gradual one...
First Responders Honored For Life Saving Actions (MS)
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – First responders are recognized for helping save the life of a Vietnam-era Veteran whose house caught fire. The Tupelo Fire Department, Tupelo Police Department, Lee County E 9 1 1, and NMCC’s Emergency Services were honored during a ceremony at...
City Of Dallas: City To Host Hiring Event For 911 Operators (TX)
If you want to make a difference in the community and serve residents when they need help the most, you may be the next 911 telecommunicator for the City of Dallas. A 911 telecommunicator handles emergency and non-emergency telephone calls and requests service in...
Onsite review completed for Sebastian County 911 center study (AR)
FORT SMITH -- People in Sebastian County are receptive to a potential consolidation of the 911 system there that could result in financial savings, according to an organization looking into the idea. Crystal Lawrence of the Florida-based Association of Public-Safety...
North Ridgeville firefighters urge radio upgrades (OH)
Members of the North Ridgeville Fire Department urged North Ridgeville City Council to approve upgrades to the radio system July 6 as part of a proposal involving five Lorain County communities to lease equipment for an L3Harris system. The proposed contract with...
App allows people to share detailed info with First Responders (MI)
Isabella County residents who wish to provide more detailed information to First Responders during an emergency can now do that. Smart 911, which is accessible as either a website or a phone app, allows people who sign up for it to provide more detailed information...
911 communications disrupted by direct lightning strike (PA)
By around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, 2,800 homes remained without power Emergency communications were knocked offline for a short time Wednesday evening after the Bradford County Public Safety Center took a direct lightning strike. The hit came around 9:15 p.m., according to...
Company sweetens deal for E911 program (VA)
Lunenburg County may end up with a better E911 communication system than they had originally hoped for. During its May Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, board members voted to begin negotiating a contract with L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris) after the company...
Accidental calls to 911 add stress to emergency dispatch call centers (OK)
Oklahoma 911 call centers are experiencing a large amount of accidental 911 calls due to safety features available on mobile devices including iPhones and Apple watches. According to the Oklahoma 911 Management Authority and the State 911 Coordinator, 12 percent of...
Southeast Communications to dispatch for Richardson County (NE)
During a city council meeting Tuesday evening, the City of Beatrice unanimously agreed to operate an enhanced 911 and radio dispatching system for Richardson County. Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang gave a brief history of dispatch centers in Gage County, explaining...
Greenwich police chief calls retiring communications specialist the ‘heart and soul’ of department (CT)
GREENWICH — A police officer who specialized in communications and who helped to implement the town’s 911 emergency dispatcher center has retired after a 32-year career in law enforcement. Officer Gerald “Terry” Fitzgerald, who retired earlier this month, was tasked...
UPCOMING WEBINARREGISTER>
FirstNet Independence: A governance case study
Thursday, February 19, 2026
1:30 PM PT | 2:30 PM MT | 3:30 PM CT | 4:30 PM ET
As we are near the time Congress must reauthorize FirstNet, there needs to be a discussion on the review of FirstNet Governance. Join former FirstNet Board Chairs Sue Swenson, Chief Richard Carrizzo, and former Vice-Chair Chief Jeff Johnson, as they discuss the value of an independent FirstNet Authority, program oversight, and the need to protect and advance the nation’s public safety network.
The creation of the FirstNet Authority marked a deliberate and historic policy decision by Congress to establish an independent, nationwide public-safety broadband authority insulated from traditional departmental control. Born out of the lessons of 9/11 and codified in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, FirstNet was designed to operate with a singular mission: to ensure reliable, interoperable communications for the nation’s first responders. The discussion will examine the governance structure, rationale for its statutory independence, and oversight model.
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.



