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Wrentham turns to internet, phones to keep town operating

WRENTHAM -- Email, phones and the internet have become the mode of keeping the town’s operations going in the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. In an effort to help slow the spread of the virus, “and to promote the practice of social distancing,” all of the...

DeKalb 911 Presents Telecommunicator Commendations

Two 911 Communicator shift partners of the DeKalb Emergency Communications District have been commended for their exemplary performance in handling an influx of emergency and non-emergency calls on a night of heavy rain and flooding last month. Stephanee Wright and...

911 telecommunicator becomes hero to local family (NC)

It is too easy to take 911 telecommunicators for granted because they are at the ready every day to assist people when an emergency arises, but that is not the case for Ridgeway residents Terry Simpson and Marie McGuire. They think of Warren County 911...

NENA’s Enhanced NENA PSAP Registry and Census Completes Beta

NENA is pleased to announce that the new Enhanced PSAP Registry and Census (EPRC) service has completed its beta period and enters its first stable release. The EPRC provides the ability to find 24×7 call transfer information for any PSAP in the United States and its territories. The EPRC completely replaces the legacy NENA PSAP Registry (NPR), and requires issuance of unique credentials to each NENA validated user.
It is imperative that all legacy NPR users obtain new credentials (ID and Password) for the EPRC as soon as possible, since access and familiarization with the new EPRC is necessary before the old NPR is turned down soon. Users both old and new can find instructions to register for the EPRC at eprc.nena.org.
The EPRC is GIS-forward with a modern visual user interface, and it works like most popular mapping programs. Queries can include simply pointing on a location on a map or inputting coordinates, a community name, landmark or address. Filters are available to inquire for specific PSAP characteristics, and in addition, users have the ability to draw a map boundary around a specific geographic area and view applicable PSAP info within that boundary. 
Another new feature is web form to update changes to PSAP data. Updates are reviewed by a human before activation in the live database. This feature is available to Public Safety and 9-1-1 Authority users.
The EPRC includes a robust REST API, and any interested developers familiar with ArcGIS Server applications are encouraged to inquire with NENA for more information. The EPRC also allows users to export data to a CSV. 
The EPRC is free to access to any public safety personnel. Commercial entities with a valid public safety function, such as vendors in the 9-1-1 industry and certain types of call centers, can also access the EPRC subject to terms and conditions. EPRC data is not made available for and can never be used for marketing purposes.
All current and new PSAP Registry users should register and be familiar with the EPRC as soon as possible. You may contact 911eprc@nena.org with any questions or comments.

Police ID suspect in crash that killed 911 dispatcher (WI)

Milwaukee (WDJT) — Milwaukee police are looking to track down 25-year-old Denzil Crosby in connection to crash that killed 911 dispatcher Deborah Harris. Police describe Crosby as a black male, standing 6’2″ tall, weighing 260 pounds, with brown hairs and black,...

NENA Seeks Applicants for Open Education Advisory Board Position

NENA Seeks Applicants for Open Education Advisory Board Position
4 hours ago   (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanNENA seeks to fill a vacancy on the Education Advisory Board (EAB) with a NENA member in good standing who possesses the desire and dedication to become part of the team charged with carrying out NENA’s educational mission.
Candidates are required to be 9-1-1 professionals that are members of NENA in good standing, of good moral character, and possess the skills necessary to support and direct NENA’s educational mission and goals. Candidates holding the Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification are preferred.
Learn more about the commitments associated with serving on the EAB at nena.org/eab-purpose.
Applications are due by Friday, April 3. Click here to apply.

9-1-1 lawsuit settled (SD)

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety and its 9-1-1 Coordination Board has announced that the state has settled its civil lawsuit with Comtech Telecommunications Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware; and affiliated corporations NextGen Communications Inc., and...

Free Webinar on the Importance of Professional Relationships

Free Webinar on the Importance of Professional Relationships
9 hours ago   (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanBy Your SideWednesday, March 25 | 3PM Eastern (live) or On-DemandFREE for NENA Members | Not a member? Join today to receive access!Click here to register!
Good relationships, techniques to overcome common barriers, and the ability to leverage relationships for professional and comm-center growth are essential to a successful career in 9-1-1. Join us for this hour-long webinar as we explore:
The types of professional relationships formed in 9-1-1;
Relational opportunities in the PSAP, between centers, and with stakeholders like vendors, technicians, customers, and service providers; and
Success stories that highlight the power of relationships.
Presenters: Kimberly Clark, ENP – Salt River (AZ) Police Department | Erika Wilson, ENP – Albuquerque (NM) Police Department | Michelle Potts – Chandler (AZ) Police Department
CEUs: Attend this webinar and receive one-half ENP re-certification point towards the ten-point maximum for NENA courses in the Professional Development CEU/Course Credits section.
Can’t attend on the 25th? Register now and you will receive an email after the live presentation with instructions for accessing the on-demand webinar archive.
Webinar Access Info: Dial-in and web-access details provided automatically via email upon registration.
Questions? Contact Amanda Tegtmeyer with the NENA Education team.

APCO Statement on the CSRIC “Report on the Current State of Interoperability in the Nation’s 911 Systems”

Today, the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) VII adopted a “Report on the Current State of Interoperability in the Nation’s 911 Systems.”   The Federal Communications Commission directed CSRIC to survey the current state of interoperability for the nation’s 9-1-1 systems pursuant to CSRIC’s mission to provide recommendations to the Commission on a variety of topics.
The report describes the degree to which emergency communications centers are able to share voice 9-1-1 calls, location data, SMS text-to-911, CAD data, and other types of data with other ECCs and (where appropriate) with emergency response providers.  While ECCs are generally able to transfer basic voice 9-1-1 calls to neighboring ECCs, interoperability challenges often prevent sharing of other types of communications and data important for emergency response, even in areas that are making progress deploying Next Generation 9-1-1 technologies.
“APCO appreciates that the Commission acted on our suggestion to leverage CSRIC to examine the status of interoperability for 9-1-1,” APCO Executive Director and CEO Derek K. Poarch said.  “APCO has been concerned that ECCs lack interoperability and that these problems aren’t going away as agencies make progress toward achieving NG9-1-1 due to the use of proprietary technology.  The CSRIC Report confirms that more attention is needed, and APCO looks forward to continuing to work with policymakers at the Commission and Congress to ensure that ECCs can seamlessly exchange 9-1-1 calls and related data with other ECCs and on to responders in the field, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, service provider, or other factors.  APCO will also continue taking other steps to support efforts to achieve interoperability, such as the recently-released Sample RFP Template for NG9-1-1 Capabilities.”

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.


REGISTER

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