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911 system upgrade one step closer to allowing text messages (IL)
DeKALB – DeKalb County is one step closer to residents having the capability to text 911 if they’re unable to call. DeKalb Police Cmdr. Jason Leverton said during a Wednesday virtual DeKalb County E-911 Board meeting that the DeKalb Police Department 911 center, which...
Do The Job Right
We all know the job; we all know the right way to do this job.
The post Do The Job Right appeared first on The Journal of Emergency Dispatch.
Family of Chicago 911 dispatcher who died of COVID-19 devastated by loss of mother too (IL)
The husband and wife were both taken by COVID-19 in a matter of weeks, leaving their three grown children, along with their grandchildren, unable to say a proper goodbye. Guadalupe, also referred to as Lupe, was a longtime 911 dispatcher at Chicago's Office of...
The life and training of a Fairbanks dispatcher (AK)
For a dispatcher in Fairbanks, any day can be a busy day, with calls ranging from reporting a traffic accident, requesting medical assistance or asking for help with an abusive partner. The COVID-19 pandemic...
9-1-1 Calls Soar During COVID-19, Riots & Demonstrations (OR)
PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19, riots and social justice demonstrations dramatically increased calls to 9-1-1 and the non-emergency line. The average wait time in August was 38 seconds compared to 9 seconds in the month of April, and 28 seconds in October. The...
Kingman 911 Communications Center Awarded National Public Safety Communications Accreditation by CALEA (AZ)
The Kingman 911 Communications Center was awarded national accreditation on Friday, November 13, 2020, by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in the Public Safety Communications program. The program provides a communications...
On the line: Regional dispatch responds to four communities (MA)
When a call comes in to the dispatch center, help goes out. The caller may not care where the person answering the phone sits, only that the police, fire or ambulance arrives to help. Technology has allowed those calls to be centralized, and the Wachusett RECC...
Atlanta’s 911 call center short staffed (GA)
TLANTA - There is a critical staffing problem in the Emergency 911 Communications Center. Director Amanda Pritchett told the Atlanta City Council the office is short by at least 30 people. The number can fluctuate... READ MORE
Editorial: Time to move dispatch to FdL County (WI)
Should the emergency-services dispatch center remain in Ripon, or move to Fond du Lac County? The Ripon Common Council has wrestled with this question over the past almost five months because Ripon’s outdated system will require costly upgrades in the near future....
Lake County Sheriff praises performance of first responders during winter storm (OH)
LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — Lake County Sheriff Frank Leonbruno is sending out many thanks following Tuesday's winter storm. Sheriff Leonbruno took to Facebook to thank the many departments involved in handling the storm, including telecommunicators, deputy sheriffs, plow...
How and why you should use Text-to-911 properly (MN)
Picture it: You’re caught up in an emergency, but you can’t talk on the phone. So you use Text-to-911. Hoping to give as much detail as possible about your situation, you decide to attach a photo to your text. What could it hurt? The answer is, it could ruin your...
Austin 911 dispatchers still experiencing a shortage while taking COVID-19 calls on top of daily emergencies (TX)
With emergencies at a constant on top of a pandemic, Austin dispatchers and 911 operators have certainly been feeling the impact of an ongoing staff shortage. "It's challenging to operate so under-staffed under normal circumstances, but a prolonged crisis like this...
Rochester City Emergency Communications Department Awarded National Accreditation (NY)
Following a multi-year assessment of the City of Rochester's Emergency Communications Department (ECD), the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) awarded its national accreditation to the City and County 911 Center, which recognizes...
City of Cleveland fires dispatcher after repeated violations of policies and procedures (OH)
CLEVELAND — On Friday evening, the city of Cleveland announced that it has terminated one of its dispatchers after a long history of violating the city's policies and procedures. Charles McGeever was fired following an administrative predisciplinary hearing that was...
Who Ya Gonna Call, Part 2 of 3 (TN)
Douglas R. Boone, ENP, succeeded Gay Murrell as Director, Hawkins County Emergency Communications District last May after twenty years with Kingsport 911, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Washington County 911, and as Assistant 911 Director with Unicoi County. Gay...
NGA 911 Achieves AWS Public Safety & Disaster Response Competency Status
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Dec. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NGA 911, a leading-edge Next Generation 9-1-1 solution provider, announced today that it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Safety & Disaster Response (PSDR) Competency status. This designation...
In Marion County, commissioners look to CARES Act funds for future tax break (FL)
Marion County commissioners said Tuesday that they are looking to CARES Act money as the means of a possible tax break next year for their constituents. Commissioners agreed to put in a single request for the remaining $34.5 million available through Phase 3 of the...
Heights Hillcrest Communications Center dispatcher helps woman give birth over the phone (OH)
CLEVELAND — It's a boy! Heights Hillcrest Communications Center announced in a Facebook post that one of their dispatchers guided a woman through childbirth over the phone. According to the post, the call came in at approximately 4:43 p.m. on Saturday,...
Key Ways COVID-19 is Reshaping the Emergency Communications Center Landscape
Without question, 2020 will be remembered as a year of unprecedented change. And while not much has changed about the primary mission of public safety communications, various operational aspects of how they’re performed are having to be reimagined. New...
FCC’s Jessica Rosenworcel Tells Public Safety She Wants to Halt the T-Band Auction and Fund 911 Upgrades
December 2, 2020 – Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel of the Federal Communications Commission – and who appears to be considered for elevation to chairman of the agency under President-elect Joe Biden – advocated that the T-Band auction be stopped...
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.
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