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Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Project to Upgrade Ramsey County First Responder Radios
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the House of Representatives passed legislation that included $2,965,000 in funding for a project to upgrade Ramsey County first responder radios. This project, which Klobuchar and Smith worked to include, will help ensure emergency and public safety communications networks remain intact and keep residents and emergency responders safe. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN). The bill now goes to the Senate for final passage. “This project will make essential upgrades to Ramsey County’s first responder radios, ensuring they have the tools they need to keep our communities safe. With House passage, this project is one step closer to securing the new first responder radios,” said Klobuchar. “Every day, first responders in Ramsey County put their lives on the line to protect their communities,” said Smith. “They deserve to have updated, functioning equipment to help them do their jobs, but their radios are outdated and failing. This funding would replace these radios and replace power generators at radio towers, allowing first responders and public safety personnel to efficiently and effectively do their jobs.” Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state.
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Calif. congresswoman to bring 911 dispatcher as guest to State of the Union
“I hope by inviting a current 911 dispatcher, I am able to bring awareness to this important issue and my bill, the 911 Saves Act to finally give them the recognition and resources they need and deserve,” Rep. Norma Torres said READ FULL ARTICLE
Durham plans to reroute 911 calls to Fayetteville (NC)
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – If you call 911 in Durham, there’s a chance you’ll get an answer from another town nearly 80 miles away. That’s because the City Council is set to vote on a new proposal to reroute calls to Fayetteville.
MACo Supports Efforts to Enhance Non-Emergency Communications (MD)
On March 1, 2024, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally testified before the House Health and Government Operations Committee in support of HB 1141 – Human Services – 2-1-1 and 3-1-1 Systems – Nonemergency Information and Referrals with amendments. This bill envisions a...
Glasgow comes together to celebrate the 911 dispatch center’s 30th anniversary (KY)
Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center 30th anniversary celebration was held Friday, March 1st. While rain poured outside it had no chance in dampening the sunny bearing of Beverly Harbison, director of the center, who was abuzz welcoming guests from all...
Maryland officials adding new text alert system after threat at State House
Maryland’s top elected leaders on Friday praised the police response to this week’s threat of gun violence at the State House and said they’re taking steps to improve communications around the sprawling state office campus during future emergencies. A new text alert...
AT&T CEO on outage: “We let down many”
“No matter the timing, one thing is clear—we let down many of our customers, including many of you and your families. For that, we apologize.” In the letter released on Sunday, Stankey noted that AT&T’s restoration efforts on Feb. 22 prioritized service on the...
Sioux Falls Unveils High-Tech Metro Communications Dispatch Center, Enhancing Public Safety (SD)
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Tompkins County 911 Center Recognized for Exemplary Commitment to Child Safety (NY)
Tompkins County 911 Center in Ithaca, NY, has recently been acknowledged by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for its commitment to the safety of children. The recognition comes as a result of the center's active participation in the...
Boosting School Safety Through Funding, FirstNet Technology
According to CNN, there have been at least 12 school shootings as of February 16, 2024. Seven people were killed and at least 19 injured. Nine attacks took place at K-12 schools, and the rest on college campuses. READ FULL ARTICLE
AT&T service restored after nationwide outage, FBI investigating if whether it was a cyberattack
AT&T's network went down for many of its customers across the United States Thursday morning, leaving customers unable to place calls, text or access the internet. By a little after 3 pm ET, roughly 11 hours after reports of the outage first emerged, the company...
Colorado High School starts 911 dispatcher class during nationwide shortage
A high school in Colorado started a class this year to train teenagers to answer emergency calls in hopes of assisting in a shortage of 911 dispatchers. Calhan High School, a public high school in Calhan, Colorado, started the new course this year in addition to their...
Consolidation could be next step to solve Gates County 911 dispatch issues (NC)
Gates County leaders are considering a big step in addressing continued concerns with 911 dispatch in the county. During a rare Sunday session, commissioners directed county officials to consider consolidating 911 service with neighboring Perquimans County and...
Proposal could implement safer texting to dispatch (OH)
BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — Lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse are continuing to listen to public testimony on the Safe and Reliable Texting Act, which would require specific technology that would ensure the texts Ohioans to send to dispatch are secure and encrypted.
2023 Key Enacted 911 Legislation
The legislation listed below includes key enactments related to the 911 system in 2023, such as administration, fees and funding, 911 telecommunicator reclassification and Next Generation 911 (NG911). READ FULL ARTICLE
KaneComm Marks the 56th Anniversary of 9-1-1 (AL)
February 16, 1968, history was made in Haleyville, Alabama, with theinaugural 9-1-1 call, marking a transformative moment for emergencyresponse in America.
A year after launching, El Cajon touts success of region’s first 911 overhaul program (CA)
Heartland Fire & Rescue launched a pilot program in 2023 to make its emergency medical system more efficient by diverting some 911 calls to nurses. Through the El Cajon Community Care program, callers not in life-threatening situations can choose to be transferred...
Former Allegheny County dispatcher indicted in federal child porn investigation (PA)
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — A former Allegheny County emergency dispatcher has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection to a child porn investigation. Robert Bookshar is in federal custody after being indicted on 20 counts of sexually exploiting minors.
SENATOR TED BUDD TO SERVE AS CONGRESSIONAL NG911 CAUCUS CO-CHAIR
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES, February 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Next Generation 9-1-1 Institute (NG9-1-1 Institute or Institute) is pleased to announce that Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) has agreed to serve as the Co-Chair of the NG911 Caucus. Senator Budd’s...
FirstNet Authority, AT&T Announce 10-Year Investment to Transform America’s Public Safety Broadband Network
First Responder Communication Stay at the Forefront of Innovation with 5G Upgrades, Coverage Enhancements, and Mission-Critical Services. PRESS RELEASE READ FULL ARTICLE
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FirstNet Coverage Workshops
Free & open to all agencies. Don’t miss it!
Public safety professionals, don’t miss this opportunity to assess and improve your communications capabilities. FirstNet Coverage Workshops help agencies prioritize coverage needs and explore practical solutions for incident response.
Workshops are free and open to all public safety agencies. Reserve your spot now and ensure your team is mission-ready.
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.
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