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Del Norte Ambulance to Transition to Dispatch System Operated Out Of Coos Bay (OR)
Del Norte Ambulance is transitioning to a new emergency medical dispatch system. Photo courtesy of Del Norte Ambulance A partnership between Del Norte Ambulance and MetroWest has already led to updated equipment, easier access to training and education and a regional...
Construction On Schedule, Training Underway at HCESD11 State-Of-The-Art 911 Dispatch Center (TX)
Spring, TX (July 01, 2021) – Harris County Emergency Services District No. 11 (HCESD11) announced today that construction is on schedule and training is now underway at the state-of-the-art 911 dispatch center that is on-track for a September 2021 opening. Setting a...
Gallatin County 911 and MSU merge emergency dispatch services
GALLATIN MEDIA CENTER BOZEMAN – Gallatin County 911 and Montana State University are proud to announce that their emergency dispatch centers have officially merged operations, a move that will better serve our entire community moving forward. The county and MSU...
Rep. Kelly Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Help 9-1-1 Operators
WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma (PROTECT) 911 Act to address important health and wellness issues for our nation’s 9-1-1 call-takers and...
COs and dispatchers get temporary pay increase (PA)
LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County Commissioners approved a temporary pay increase for correctional officers in a last minute agenda item on Thursday morning. The move was made in an effort to retain its current officers. Commissioner Miles Kessinger explained the...
What you need to know about new E911 laws to ensure telephony compliance
Jan. 6, 2022, is a date that CIOs and other IT leaders need to circle on their calendars. This is the deadline by which non-fixed phone lines will need to comply with the upcoming RAY BAUM's Act (capitalization is correct). For those not familiar with...
Ford airport breaks ground on $7.7 million operation center (MI)
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport broke ground Wednesday on a $7.7 million operation center on the east side of the airfield. The 11,600-square-foot facility will consolidate the airport’s operations and communications, including dispatch, and it will serve as...
Citizen App Says It Will Get Access to Encrypted Police Comms (MD)
Citizen, the crime reporting and neighborhood watch app, says it will be granted access to the encrypted communications of at least one police department once it switches over to encrypting its radio traffic, according to an internal Citizen document obtained by...
9-1-1 Operators “Stretched to the Limit” During Heat Wave (Canada)
VANCOUVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Record high temperatures during the historic heat wave in B.C. have taken their toll on Lower Mainland 9-1-1 operators, who this past weekend were swamped by a record-breaking number of calls and stretched to the limit in their ability to...
911 dispatchers: One-third of Bloomington-Monroe County positions vacant, 9-percent raise urged (IN)
At Tuesday morning’s meeting of Bloomington and Monroe County’s five-member central dispatch policy board, assistant fire chief Jayme Washel reacted to a statement by dispatch director Amy Hensley, that the center has 11 vacant dispatcher positions. “I don’t know...
APCO Welcomes Introduction of Important Wellness Legislation, the PROTECT 9-1-1 Act
Alexandria, VA — Today, U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL), Norma Torres (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Peter Meijer (R-MI) introduced the Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma in 9-1-1 Act, or the ‘‘PROTECT 9-1-1...
Troy VanDusen Appointed As 911 Communications Manager (SD)
The Watertown Police Department welcomed Troy VanDusen back to its staff. VanDusen will serve in the newly created role of 911 Communications Manager, a position that manages and directs all activities in Watertown’s 911 center. VanDusen is a graduate of Watertown...
Nave discusses 911 changes with Rotary Club (KY)
Owensboro-Daviess County 911 Director Paul Nave has seen major changes over his career in the way the dispatch center receives emergency calls. Those changes were largely caused by advances in technology, which, paradoxically, created challenges. “We have gone back in...
Gallatin County 911 and MSU announce merger of Emergency Dispatch Centers (MT)
BOZEMAN — Gallatin County 911 and Montana State University announced Thursday morning that their emergency dispatch centers have officially merged operations, a move officials say will better serve the entire community moving forward. The county and MSU recently...
Advancing Public Safety with IoT Interoperability
By: Ken Figueredo Many Internet of Things (IoT) systems solve a single problem. They are designed as standalone or one-off solutions because organizations are often under pressure to deploy a solution quickly. As a result, it is easier to adapt an existing system by...
Untethered LTE drones demonstrate extended flight times in PSCR challenge
Untethered drones carrying a payload heavy enough to deliver LTE connectivity have demonstrated flight times approaching two hours, which would make their usage much more practical in key first-responder scenarios, public-safety representatives said during last week’s...
Lowndes OKs court grants, utility projects (GA)
County commissioners approved the Echols County 911 agreement which provides 911 call answering and emergency dispatch services from Lowndes County. Commissioners also approved the Bellville Road utility relocation and a sewer system rehabilitation project coming from...
Visalia begins design of public safety headquarters (CA)
The public safety building will not only serve as a headquarters for police and fire but also house the finance department, at least temporarily, and include a new city council chambers. The design will be developed by Darden Architects after the city approved a $2.1...
New public safety bill changes how emergency operators dispatch mental health calls (MN)
Once signed, Travis' Law will require 911 operators to refer calls involving mental health crises to mental health crisis teams.
Grand Rapids airport breaks ground on $7.7M operations center (MI)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is building a new $7.7 million operations and communications center. The new facility will be built to withstand extreme weather conditions, including winds up to 250 mph, and will house the airport’s...
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
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