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Legislation putting panic alarms in schools ready for Governor’s signature (FL)
Legislation requiring a mobile panic alert system in all public and charter schools is now ready for the Governor’s signature after being formally presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis Tuesday. The Legislature approved the measure in early March, just...
Delta County 9-1-1 millage levy hiked (MI)
ESCANABA — Delta County’s 911 Authority millage will be levied at its full rate of 0.75 mills ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value). The increase was approved by the Delta County Board of Commissioners during a meeting Tuesday. According to Delta County Central Dispatch...
St. Paul launching its own downtown improvement district [including a communications center] — with some big properties missing (MN)
Downtown business leaders in St. Paul are drafting plans for a downtown improvement district similar to the one used in Minneapolis, which features teams of on-the-street ambassadors and a public-safety communications center. But the way the district is drawn largely...
#LOCAL HEROES: Sweetwater County COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center (WY)
The Sweetwater County COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center was a prime example of banding together to help keep the people of Sweetwater County informed about the COVID-19 Coronavirus. In early March, Sweetwater County Public Health, Sweetwater County Health Officer...
Committee Advances Bill Making False 9-1-1 Calls & Police Reports Intended to Intimidate Others on Basis of Race a Crime (NJ)
(TRENTON) – In response to ongoing examples of people making false accusations against black Americans in an effort to threaten them, four Assembly Democrats sponsor a bill that would make it a crime to call 9-1-1, file a police report or incriminate someone under...
When panic set in, this 9-1-1 operator was a mother’s lifeline (WA)
MARYSVILLE, Wash. — It was almost bedtime when a strange noise told Nya Palek something was wrong. “It was a noise that caught my attention. I knew somebody needed my help in the house.” That ‘somebody’ was her son, 6’7” high school senior, Lul Palek. The otherwise...
911 dispatcher spoke to her supervisor about concerns over cops’ behavior at George Floyd arrest (MN)
A 911 dispatcher who watched George Floyd‘s arrest in real-time spoke to her supervisor over concerns regarding the four officers’ behavior at the scene. In audio released Monday the unidentified woman tells her boss: ‘I don’t know, you can call me a...
JCCD to create memorial following the passing of Records Clerk and TAC Douglas Butland (MO)
WARRENSBURG — Johnson County Central Dispatch lost a valued member of its team with the passing of Records Clerk and Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) Douglas Butland, 62, the morning of Monday, June 8. Butland was initially hired for a telecommunicator position at...
UMW announces creation of “Police Community Advisory Panel” (VA)
University of Mary Washington President Troy Paino has announced the creation of an advisory panel tasked with reviewing the campus police response to the May 31 protests in downtown Fredericksburg. “The UMW Officers were there to protect the Fredericksburg Police...
Stable Form Notices: Monitoring & Managing NG9-1-1 Info Doc | IoT & Apps Info Doc
1 hour ago (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanHaving adjudicated all comments, the NENA Managing & Monitoring NG9‑1‑1 Information Document is now considered “stable.” Per NENA IPR & Antitrust Policy, Section 4.5.1 “Stable Form Notice” is being issued and is shown below.4.5 Declarations during ReviewWhen any Deliverable is in stable form, but before it undergoes review by the NENA Process Review Committee, the Committee Resource Manager shall send a Stable Form Notice to all NENA Development Group participants giving notice of a deadline, at least thirty (30) days from the date of the announcement, by which all Patent Holders with respect to the Deliverable must submit a completed copy of the Licensing Declaration Form in Annex B to the Committee Resource Manager. All Stable Form Notices shall also be posted to the Committee Management Website.Once the 30 days have passed, the document will go to the Process Review Committee for approval.Stable Form NoticeBackgroundThe NENA Intellectual Property Rights (“IPR”) & Antitrust Policy, available at http://www.nena.org/IPR, requires Participants in NENA Committees to disclose certain Patent IPRs during the process of developing a Deliverable such as a Technical or Operations Standard Document (i.e., any Standard). After receiving this notice, all Patent Holders have 30 days in which to submit a Licensing Declaration Form.NoticeThe Deliverable listed below has reached stable form and will be submitted to the NENA Process Review Committee in 30 days. Any and all Participants who hold Patent IPRs which may be implicated by the Normative Requirements of this Deliverable must submit a Licensing Declaration Form to the Committee Resource Manager within that time.Deliverable InformationTitle: NENA Managing & Monitoring NG9‑1‑1 Information DocumentDocument Number: NENA-INF-040.1-2020URL: https://dev.nena.org/higherlogic/ws/public/document?document_id=19307&wg_id=a00974df-fbab-49b7-b015-e33f9f93dbe6Date of Notice: June 16, 2020Submission Deadline: July 17, 2020NENA Intellectual Property Rights Policy – Annex C – Stable Form NoticeHaving adjudicated all comments, the NENA Impact of IoT Devices and Emergency Calling Applications Information Document is now considered “stable.” Per NENA IPR & Antitrust Policy, Section 4.5.1 “Stable Form Notice” is being issued and is shown below.4.5 Declarations during ReviewWhen any Deliverable is in stable form, but before it undergoes review by the NENA Process Review Committee, the Committee Resource Manager shall send a Stable Form Notice to all NENA Development Group participants giving notice of a deadline, at least thirty (30) days from the date of the announcement, by which all Patent Holders with respect to the Deliverable must submit a completed copy of the Licensing Declaration Form in Annex B to the Committee Resource Manager. All Stable Form Notices shall also be posted to the Committee Management Website.Once the 30 days have passed, the document will go to the Process Review Committee for approval.Stable Form NoticeBackgroundThe NENA Intellectual Property Rights (“IPR”) & Antitrust Policy, available at http://www.nena.org/IPR, requires Participants in NENA Committees to disclose certain Patent IPRs during the process of developing a Deliverable such as a Technical or Operations Standard Document (i.e., any Standard). After receiving this notice, all Patent Holders have 30 days in which to submit a Licensing Declaration Form.NoticeThe Deliverable listed below has reached stable form and will be submitted to the NENA Process Review Committee in 30 days. Any and all Participants who hold Patent IPRs which may be implicated by the Normative Requirements of this Deliverable must submit a Licensing Declaration Form to the Committee Resource Manager within that time.Deliverable InformationTitle: NENA Impact of IoT Devices and Emergency Calling Applications Information DocumentDocument Number: NENA-INF-030.1-2020URL: https://dev.nena.org/higherlogic/ws/public/document?document_id=19309&wg_id=097528c0-b7bd-44b5-b23b-eff306f87919Date of Notice: June 16, 2020Submission Deadline: July 17, 2020NENA Intellectual Property Rights Policy – Annex C – Stable Form Notice
These 911 Emergency Dispatchers Are Ready to Defund the Police
For the past six and a half years, James, a military veteran in his thirties, has spent his days in a 911 call center on the East Coast, counseling strangers during some of the worst moments of their lives. “I like helping people and I’m good at what I do,” he told...
Several dispatchers recognized for life-saving calls (CO)
Bev Lindsay has learned to leave her work at the office because, after 37 years as a 911 dispatcher, she knows she can never get hung up on one phone call. Last week, however, she was finally able to reflect on some of the people she’s helped as she and several local...
911 Board schedules special meeting for Wednesday morning (MI)
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County 911 Communications Board has scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday morning to discuss staffing and wages for 911 employees. Branch County 911 has had continuing problems over the last couple of years trying to maintain...
FOX8 Highlighting Heroes: Squad D at the Winston-Salem PD 911 Communications Center (NC)
We are highlighting local heroes who are making sacrifices in their lives to help keep families fed, prepared and safe during the coronavirus crisis. We are asking FOX8 viewers to tell us about the heroes they encounter on this journey. Tonight, we are highlighting a...
Calling 911: What to expect (MN)
Call 911 to report any situation that requires police, the fire department or an ambulance. When 911 calls are made, they are assigned to first responders by a 911 dispatcher based on the severity of the situation. Be prepared to answer the dispatcher’s...
The Importance of In-Building Wireless for the FirstNet Emergency Network
By Ted Hebron, senior product manager at Laird Connectivity.
Property owners desire optimal wireless connectivity in their buildings to better serve their tenants. However, these systems can play a far more urgent role in emergency situations by supporting communications with first responders.
The coronavirus crisis is forcing building owners to think deeply about the safety of occupants. The nationwide rollout of the FirstNet network, which is happening at a rapid pace, will give first responders far better connectivity via a dedicated wireless network. However, the success of this network depends on whether buildings provide adequate in-building signal support for firefighters, police and EMTs. READ MORE
3 communications essentials to enhance situational awareness
Solid network reliability, data priority for first responder traffic and local 24/7 support are crucial. When it comes to public safety communications, a reliable network is key. First responders need operational and reliable connectivity in order to keep citizens and...
More Smoke and Mirrors from Verizon
By Richard Mirgon, Public Safety Consultant
There was recently published an article about Verizon announcing their new public safety app store. Public safety should understand that this app store is marginal and nothing more than a list and access to a miscellaneous collection of public safety related applications. This site is dangerous to public safety and users should read the User Agreement which says Verizon is not responsible for anything. Here is a sample from that User Agreement:
“Vendor Content may contain errors, bugs, design flaws or other problems that may not be corrected by Verizon in providing Vendor Content; 2.1.2 Verizon may not have tested Vendor Content (including security information) and Customer’s use of any Vendor Content is at Customer’s sole risk. Vendor Content may result in unexpected results, loss of data, project delays or other unpredictable damage or loss to Customer;
“Customer further agrees that VENDOR CONTENT IS PROVIDED SOLELY BY A VENDOR CONTENT PROVIDER, AND VERIZON IS NOT A PARTY TO ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CUSTOMER AND A VENDOR CONTENT PROVIDER. 2.2 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. CUSTOMER AGREES THAT IN NO EVENT WILL VERIZON BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE, LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION AND THE LIKE OR FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES HOWEVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF THE INSTALLATION, USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE VENDOR CONTENT OFFERED THROUGH THE VERIZON PUBLIC SAFETY APPLICATIONS PORTAL.”
So what it says is if you use any apps or the portal and someone dies, gets hurt or something goes wrong, don’t blame them. Now in all fairness there are good apps from excellent companies but as a company that claims to support public safety this is dangerous. Since there is no certification as FirstNet does, this store will include apps that drain your battery, have security holes, bloated code and may impact valid apps you are using. What is going to protect the user of this app store from third party developers adding apps that are built by foreign governments or drug cartels? This could include anything from apps that track first responders to apps that spy on other data on your public safety device. You wouldn’t know because Verizon doesn’t certify the apps.
One of the significant benefits to FirstNet is their process for certifying apps. They are tested for security holes, hidden tracking, excessive battery drain or any other abnormality. For an app to be listed on FirstNet you must pass a series of tests as mentioned and more. It may be rigorous but it is designed to protect you the first responder.
This Verizon app store is nothing more than a lame effort to lead public safety to believe it is the same as FirstNet. Let’s call it for it is, more of Verizon’s ME-TOO effort. Public safety should not allow itself to get sucked into these ME-TOO programs by other carriers that are meaningless at best and in some cases dangerous.
Richard Mirgon is a Public Safety consultant focused on FirstNet. He is a Past President of APCO International and has over 35 years of public safety and first responder experience. For more information about the author please go to http://www.next-paradigm.com/about/
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this company or any company with whom the author may be associated.
Iowa lawmakers approve classifying dispatchers as first responders (IA)
(Des Moines) — Lawmakers in the Iowa House and Senate have both passed legislation that would classify dispatchers as first responders. Senate File 2373 was passed unanimously in both chambers. Currently, Iowa Code classifies dispatchers as telecommunicators, but the...
Governor Announces 9-1-1 and Dispatch Consolidation Working Group Appointees (AK)
Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Ketchikan's Mayor Rodney Dial highlights a list of appointees by Governor Mike Dunleavy to his 9-1-1 and Dispatch Consolidation Working Group Other appointees include the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety Amanda Price,...
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.
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Congress should reauthorize the FirstNet Authority now.
Support the reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority to preserve public safety’s network
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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.
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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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