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Volunteers needed to help seniors register for Smart911 (NY)
The Town of Oyster Bay is looking for volunteers to help senior citizens register for Smart911, a free public safety service offered by the Nassau County Police Department that allows residents to provide 911 emergency call takers and emergency responders with one’s...
Grant helps expand, expedite Pulaski County’s broadband access (VA)
PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) -Pulaski County has received a grant that will give about 2,000 of its residents better, or in some cases, new access to broadband. “The need couldn’t be any larger than right now," said Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet. Sweet...
Columbia Community Relations Director Steven Sapp to retire (MO)
Columbia Community Relations Director Steve Sapp will retire Jan. 14 after 41 years of service to the city. "My entire career has been dedicated to public service and to the residents of mid-Missouri," Sapp said in a news release Wednesday. He first started...
Local dispatcher commended for helping save life of 1-year-old boy (OH)
CLEVELAND — October 28 is First Responders Day, and we want to take time to say thank you to all first responders. The work they do, truly saves lives. We talked to Ken Kostal, a local dispatcher who helped a father in Richmond Heights save his 1-year-old son on...
City officials seek to hire a new Portland public safety director under $300,000 funding proposal (OR)
The city of Portland would hire a new public safety director, using funds drawn from the police, fire and emergency communications bureaus for the $300,000 position under a proposal that goes before the City Council on Wednesday afternoon. The new director would work...
WCAR honors first responders with lunch at Public Safety Building (TN)
The Williamson County Association of Realtors treated county emergency management staff to lunch Wednesday from The Honey Baked Ham Company for National First Responders Day and recognized them for the work they do every day — particularly during the pandemic...
Oxford County sheriff, communications center, EMA could move into new facility (ME)
PARIS — The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, the Regional Communications Center and the Oxford Emergency Management Agency could share space in a new building behind the new addition to the Superior Court building, according to a plan being developed by county...
St. Louis 911 calls could go to crisis counselor, not dispatcher (MO)
ST. LOUIS — Places like New York, Houston, Baltimore and Tucson, Arizona are bringing mental health workers into the fold when it comes to answering 911 calls – and now, so is St. Louis. This month, the Board of Alderman approved a plan to take $860,000 away from the...
‘Text-to-911’ in emergencies now available in Lorain County (OH)
ELYRIA — Lorain County residents may now text 911 emergency dispatchers instead of calling them when calling might put them in more danger. Tracey Lopez, director of Lorain County 911, told Lorain County commissioners at their meeting Wednesday that emergency texting...
Dane County names new director for Department of Public Safety Communications (WI)
MADISON, Wis. — Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced Wednesday the new director for the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications. Luis Bixler was a former supervisor for the county’s 911 center and named 911 Telecommunicator of the Year for the state...
Berkeley Police Department adds 2 features to its 911 communications center (CA)
Berkeley Police Department has added text-to-911 services and improved 911 location identification services to its 911 communications center, according to a BPD press release. The two features will enable first responders to receive “more accurate information”...
Parish considers new 911 call center (LA)
West Monroe police officer Brittany LeJeune takes a phone call to the police department, speaking through a headset while facing four computer screens stacked like a wall above her. Sitting behind her in the same room, two 911 dispatchers receive emergency calls for a...
BCC exploring CARES Act options to buy three buildings (FL)
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The of County Commissioners is looking at the purchase of three buildings for $8.7 million. The county has been working to navigate the federal and state pathways of the CARES Act to get funding to local nonprofits, businesses and individuals....
V-COMM Continues Public Safety Wireless Work (NJ)
CRANBURY - V-COMM, a leading telecommunications engineering firm, was hired by Cape May County to continue the expansion of the county’s 700 megahertz (MHz) Project 25 (P25) system, in conjunction with New Jersey’s Public Safety Interoperable Communications...
Andrew Cafaldo | 911 Dispatcher & EMT | IDP Ep. #29 (NY)
This week we have Andrew Cafaldo, a 911 Dispatcher and Volunteer EMT in Ulster County NY. Andrew shares with us how he came to be in Emergency Services and what it is like to be on the other end of a 911 call or treating someone in need as an EMT. This was a great...
Kudos: Praising positives (KY)
DISPATCH EXCELLENCE. When an emergency happens, most of us reach for the nearest phone. On the other end of that 911 lifeline is a dispatcher. As the first line in any emergency response team, these trained communicators must extract information from the frantic...
First responders getting wireless boost (PA)
HYNDMAN — First responders in Hyndman are getting a major boost in their wireless communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built FirstNet cell site that AT&T turned on last week. The new site, announced in July 2018, is a part of the FirstNet network...
Union Fire District of South Kingstown Shares Important Information on Upcoming Vote For Communication Infrastructure Improvements (RI)
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters will be asked whether or not to pass a bond in the amount of $6.5 million to fund several projects as part of the Town’s capital improvement plan. Of these projects is a $2.2 million request to fund “communication infrastructure...
Longtime 911 Dispatcher Norman Pilkerton Passes Away (MD)
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office regrets to share the news that Norman Alexander Pilkerton Jr. passed away on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the age of 81. Pilkerton worked for the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office as a 911 emergency dispatcher for 34...
San Ramon: Council to discuss City Hall renovations, Public Safety Complex project (CO)
The San Ramon City Council is set to talk about the status of the City Hall renovation Tuesday evening, during which time city officials will also dedicate time to discussing the ongoing Public Safety Building Complex project. The City Hall reconfiguration is...
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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