Ventura County Sheriff’s Technical Communications Specialist Sherri Castaneda has been selected as the 2021 Public Safety Dispatcher of the Year. This award is presented to the outstanding dispatcher for their exemplary work and contributions to public safety and the...

SACRAMENTO — The California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies are recognizing public safety dispatchers next week. Dispatchers are often the first assistance people reach in an emergency, provide a crucial link between the CHP and the public. Their...

Call answer times at the city’s Public Safety Communications Center fell short of national recommendations, leaving more than a quarter of 911 callers waiting more than 20 seconds for their calls to be answered in 2019, according to a report recently obtained by The...

SPRINGFIELD, NJ — The township has entered into a contract agreement with Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center (MVECC), a regional public safety answering point, to provide 9-1-1 services to all Springfield residents and businesses and...

On Oct. 2 of last year, members of the St. James Emergency Medical Service, St. James Fire and the Watonwan County Sheriff's Office responded to a head-on collision between a semi and a car. Dispatcher Emily Bentson received the call that night. "I was new in the...

EATON — The Preble County Sheriff’s Office recently recognized Employees of the Year from each division for 2020. Employees are recommended by supervisors in their respective divisions based on several criteria, including work ethic, professionalism, job knowledge,...

The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) has partnered with Iowa’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD) to use FirstNet as the backup connection for the state’s public safety answering points (PSAPs).ICN has deployed FirstNet LTE connections to 24 of the state’s 113 PSAPs so far, with about 10 more slated for installations. Under the agreement, connected PSAPs will automatically reroute 911 calls from ICN to FirstNet to keep callers wirelessly connected…

During the week of April 11-17, public safety agencies take time to reflect on the critical role telecommunications professionals play in supporting first responders. The week, sponsored by APCO International, honors the thousands of men and women across the country...

A surcharge fee of $2 charged for every 911 call made in Monroe County will remain the same.County commissioners approved of the fee in a resolution passed at their meeting Tuesday as recommended by Donna L. Kuti, director of Monroe County Central Dispatch. The fee is a continuation of the current fee and will be in effect from July 1 through June 30, 2022.The fee is charged in monthly bills for all landline, wireless and voiced-over Internet service providers in the county. Income from the fee is used to finance equipment, facilities and all other operational costs for the 911 emergency services.Keeping the rate the same was determined after reviewing the estimated 911 revenues and expenses and consulting with the finance office, Kuti said in a March 31 letter to commissioners. The county board is authorized to set the fee every year by May 15.“What was not included was the fire paging financing and repayment schedule as it was not known at the time,” she said.Revenues for the 911 calls so far in 2021 amounted to $3,756,100, of which $3.4 million was derived from the surcharge, a report from County Administrator Michael Bosanac showed. Total expenses amounted to $3,758,241, of which $2.2 million were personnel costs and $525,215 were operating costs. The expenses were $2,141 greater than the revenues.

A bill that would force Spokane County to negotiate with the city of Spokane on how emergency communications are funded has now passed both chambers of the Washington legislature. The bill follows a longstanding conflict between Spokane County and the City of Spokane...