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Sheriff’s Office hosts demonstration of proposed countywide dispatch software (AL)
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office held a training demonstration Thursday morning introducing the Spillman Flex Dispatch Software from Motorola, set to improve connectivity within local emergency personnel. Representatives from various agencies, board members, community...
DesCom rolls out new 911 technology to improve response time in Des Moines County (IA)
Thanks to some new software, those calling 911 in Des Moines County might get their help a little faster. DesCom director Shanna Krogmeier said the public safety answering point has been working recently from a new Computer Aid Dispatching "It's an upgrade to all of...
911 dispatcher receives call for ‘pizza order’ then realizes it’s code for something else (oR)
An Ohio woman desperate for help used a special code to get help for her mother. 911 dispatcher, Tim Teneyck, is being hailed a hero after recognizing a “pizza order” as code for a domestic violence situation. The dispatcher didn’t pick up on the seriousness at first...
Viability of rural ambulance services in South Dakota at risk due to staffing and funding shortages
Rural ambulance services in South Dakota are having an increasingly hard time recruiting volunteers and generating revenues, putting the stability of the services at risk and making it more likely that rural residents will endure longer response times in emergencies...
Federated ICAM Introduces New Capabilities for First Responders
Public safety agencies are seeking ways to reliably grant mission-critical information access to authorized users while also ensuring security and data integrity. Technical pilot projects sponsored by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the...
Rescu Emergency Alert Launches Nationwide
SAN DIEGO (April 30, 2021) - Rescu, an emergency alert app that connects people directly to certified emergency dispatchers, launches today throughout the United States in partnership with over 30,000 local emergency agencies. Rescu is the first and only Personal...
Sheriff’s office completes Ohio 9-1-1 program audit
PORTSMOUTH — Sheriff David Thoroughman announced the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office recently went through an audit concerning documentation, training, and call volume with the Ohio 9-1-1 Program Office. The office reviewed documentation and continuing training records...
Borough to hire for 2 dispatch positions (AK)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough will hire two borough employees to replace outgoing state employees at the Soldotna Public Safety Communication Center following a unanimous vote in support of the hire by the assembly during their April 20 meeting. The SPSCC, which is...
Quick Chat: Cel-Fi GO RED Boosts Emergency Communications Capabilities
Peter Matthews talks with chief and Western Fire Chiefs Association Technology Advisor Kim Zagaris and Paul Rigatti, engineer, Nextivity about Cel-Fi GO RED's signal booster to improve connectivity. Cel-Fi GO RED, powered by Nextivity, is designed to increase...
PSCR Awards $8M for First Responder 3D Indoor Tracking Prize
Credit: NIST NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division has awarded $8 million to the Crisis Technologies Innovation Lab at Indiana University’s (IU) Pervasive Technology Institute to implement a prize competition aimed at developing indoor...
Meet the Expert: Emergency Management Expert Bruce Fitzgerald Explores Advances in Technology and FirstNet
We recently spoke with Bruce about how technology has changed incident management and how FirstNet will support the continued advancement of tools and resources for public safety. By First Responder Network Authority Bruce Fitzgerald joined the First Responder Network...
NextGen 911: Technology enhances emergency communications (VA)
Morgan Edwards Orange County’s Emergency Communications Center is preparing to add powerful new features to its 911 services in the form of NextGen 911. The system allows dispatchers to receive texts, images, videos and other vital information from callers during an...
Buffalo man pleads guilty to making false 9-1-1 call that led to crash involving police car (NY)
Two pedestrians, the officer and two others were hurt after patrol car and another vehicle collided while officer was responding to the false call.Something went wrong. BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo man has admitted making a false 9-1-1 call that led to five people being...
TX Dispatchers Use Video Calls to Reduce Ambulance Runs
San Antonio 9-1-1 dispatchers are using 9-1-1 video calls to help cut down on unnecessary ambulance runs. According to WOAI-TV, the new system works like this: Callers who don't appear to be in a life-threatening situation are transferred to a special clinical...
Text to 9-1-1 When Placing a Call Doesn’t Work (CA)
Big Bear News – Big Bear Lake, CA – The Big Bear Fire Department is reminding Big Bear valley residents and visitors that during periods of inclement weather, such as today, cellular service could be interrupted. They remind you that often times you can text to 9-1-1,...
Dispatch center is almost fully staffed but cost of living could cause problems (WY)
The dispatch center that responds to 911 calls in Teton County is close to being fully staffed at the start of budget season. But the high cost of living in and around Jackson Hole may mean it’s not yet out of the woods. Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr told the Teton...
Department of Public Safety launches new mobile app (NY)
Ithaca College has launched a new app component of its emergency notification system, the Rave Guardian mobile app. The app is an extension of the college’s Alert Emergency Notification System and allows users to get push notifications on their cellphones from the...
Emergency Response Dispatch, Analytics Startup RapidDeploy Raises $29M
Photo: Shutterstock One thing we learned as a child was to call 911 if there’s an emergency. If you’ve ever had to make the call, you know it can be nerve-racking. With approximately 240 million 911 calls made each year, there’s pressing demand for call centers to be...
Voters to decide countywide mental health millage, 911 surcharge (MI)
GENESEE COUNTY — A special election will be held May 4 with polls opening at 8 a.m. countywide for voters to consider a mental health millage and a telephone bill surcharge renewal for 911 services. Voters in the Bendle Community Schools district will also consider a...
Retiring Kansas Policeman Makes Final Call to Dispatcher Fiancée
A police officer made his final call to his fiancée – a department dispatcher – before retiring from the Emporia Police Department in Kansas on April 28. Video shared by Lyon County Emergency Communications Center shows dispatcher Selena sending Officer Ayer home for...
UPCOMING EVENTREGISTER>
The Inaugural Howard C. Liebengood Foundation Symposium: The Evolving Law Enforcement Landscape & the First Responder Mental Health Crisis
Wednesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 1, 2026
Law enforcement is operating in one of the most demanding environments in modern history. Shifting public expectations, critical incidents, and ongoing organizational pressures have reshaped the profession, and the impact on officer health and agency stability has never been greater. This inaugural symposium convenes law enforcement leaders, mental health and health care experts, researchers, and bipartisan policymakers to explore practical, evidence-informed solutions. Grounded in research and lived experience, this symposium focuses on translating knowledge into action.
Over two days, participants will examine the evolving policing landscape, confront the profession’s mental health crisis—including elevated rates of suicide, PTSD, depression, and anxiety—and identify strategies to strengthen resilience, crisis response, and organizational leadership.
SURVEY
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.
PETITIONS
Congress should reauthorize the FirstNet Authority now.
Support the reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority to preserve public safety’s network
PSBTA UPDATES
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
GRANTS
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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