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Dispatch short-staffed following COVID infection (IN)
Half of the Grant County Central Dispatch staff is currently out of commission after a positive COVID-19 case and subsequent quarantines. Public Safety Communications Director Michael Clayton told Grant County Commissioners at the board’s regular meeting Monday that...
Bringing DOD’s public safety communications into the 21st century
The Defense Department is looking to overhaul its public safety communications ecosystem. The legacy public safety solutions DOD currently uses will be upgraded to the IP-based commercial technologies currently used by state and local government...
911 dispatchers working through added stressors of COVID-19 (TX)
LUBBOCK, Texas– Lubbock County 911 dispatchers have all hands on deck to serve the community during these uncertain times of COVID-19. As the first to respond to any emergency dispatchers are learning to adhere to new protocols in order to account for calls concerning...
FirstNet is Interoperability
By Edward Parkinson, CEO, FirstNet Authority
The vision for a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (FirstNet) is rooted in the interoperability challenges that have faced our nation’s first responders for decades. The 9/11 attacks served as a catalyst for recommendations from the 9/11 Commission for interoperability across networks that transcend individual agencies.
Congressional action led to the development of the organization that I lead, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), that is charged by federal law to ensure the building, deployment, operation, and improvement of the nationwide public safety broadband network in consultation with public safety. READ MORE
Prince William County announces Smart911 service for emergency calls (VA)
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (WDVM) — Prince William County public safety officials have announced a new app that will allow individuals to provide information to 9-1-1 operators. The service, called “smart 9-1-1”, allows residents to make a free account,...
Sheriff Tony: Exceeding the Highest Standards (FL)
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) recommended BSO’s Regional Communications for reaccreditation. BSO’s Regional Communications is the largest CALEA accredited communications center under the Public Safety Communications...
Funds needed to build Lebanon County First Responders Memorial (PA)
LEBANON, Pa. (WHTM) — A new memorial is being planned in Lebanon County to honor first responders currently serving and those who died in the line of duty. It will be built in conjunction with the new Lebanon County 911 communications center. The county is in the...
Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center Seeks to Educate Residents About Accidental 911 Calls (MA)
HOLBROOK — Director Steve Hooke and the staff at the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center (HRECC) would like to educate residents about accidental 911 calls and what residents should do if they accidentally call 911 or without knowing. The HRECC reports a...
New 911 Dispatcher Hired (MO)
The Chillicothe Police Department will have a new 911 Dispatcher beginning in early November. The Chillicothe City Council approved hiring Amanda Floyd as a Full-Time Dispatcher in their executive session Monday. Floyd was hired to replace a dispatcher that...
Stronger signal: Love County E911 gets tech upgrade, moves into Justice Center (TX)
Love County dispatchers made the final transition into the new Justice Center last month. The long-awaited facility opened in Dec. 2019 after voters approved a sales tax hike to help fund its construction. Along with the ability to house officers and up to 100...
Student Journalists Uncover Old KSP Training Presentation That Quotes Hitler (KY)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A presentation once used to train Kentucky State Police (KSP) cadets quotes Adolf Hitler, uncovered student journalists from duPont Manual High School. The story, which you can now find on various national news outlets, was first reported by the high...
Addressing the E911 Cloud Gap
The use of cloud calling has exploded over the last year. While the primary driver has been COVID-19, the transition from on-premises to cloud systems was well underway, with the pandemic simply accelerating the inevitable. Digital transformation initiatives are...
Berks commissioners plan for upgrade to 911 technology (PA)
READING, Pa. – The Berks County commissioners voted Thursday to allow for the transition to the next generation of 911 services (NG911) by allowing vendors and agencies to access the county's existing 911 data. Brian Gottschall, director of the Berks County Department...
Daktel Communications Receives Funding For Broadband in Rural Areas (ND)
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Trump Administration announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $7 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in North Dakota. This investment is part of the...
Prince William County Enhances 9-1-1 Services and Emergency Notification with Smart911 (VA)
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA – Public safety officials in Prince William County announced today that Smart911 is now available to all individuals. Smart911 is a free service that allows individuals and families to sign up online to provide key information to 9-1-1 call...
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...
FirstNet SurveyTAKE SURVEY>
Help Guide FirstNet Investments: Take a Survey hosted by the First Responder Network Authority
We welcome your insights on the experiences and operational challenges you encounter as a public safety professional. By participating in this FirstNet Authority survey, you’ll help shape future enhancements to ensure they meet the mission‑critical, real‑world needs of the public safety community. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
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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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