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Johnson County dispatchers ask more questions to keep first responders healthy after coronavirus outbreak (KS)
JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) - Inside the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center, some dispatchers are handling calls for law enforcement which would include calls like a robbery or a shooting. Others are answering calls for fire and medical needs. The...
Uber launches new emergency feature in Utah (UT)
SALT LAKE CITY – (ABC4 News) One of the most convenient ways to get to and from home, work, school or even a night out is a rideshare. While the convenience is nice, there’s also a slight chance you could run into a scary situation. To enhance the safety for both...
Elkhart will not use former Bayer site for public safety facility (IN)
New information has been released on plans to build a Public Safety Complex in Elkhart. The city has rejected the former Bayer plant as the place to build its new public safety complex, which will house four different public safety departments. It will combine...
Here’s how coronavirus will change what a 9-1-1 dispatcher will ask you (CA)
The virus has changed even the questions that a dispatcher asks, with the goal of giving a heads up to first-responders. With the coronavirus spreading, along with the commensurate fear, you can expect subtle but key changes in the questions you get asked when you...
911 Dispatchers Hear the Worst Moments of Our Lives. Who Listens To Them?
Jamie Acosta still remembers the first call in which someone died. Over the phone, she learned that a 16-year-old had wrapped his car around a telephone pole. Afterward, she replayed it in her head, trying to figure out if she somehow could have gotten the ambulance...
DDoS attacks could affect next generation 911 call systems
Despite a previous warning by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, who exposed vulnerabilities in 911 systems due to DDoS attacks, the next generation of 911 systems that now accommodate text, images and video still have the same or more severe...
Coronavirus Information | Emergency Communications Center (TX)
As we continue to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation both globally and here at home, we have prepared a web-based resource with answers to frequently asked questions. We will continue to update this resource with additional information as it becomes...
Sheriff’s Office To Host Women In Public Safety Symposium Saturday, March 14 At The Broward College Institute Of Public Safety (FL)
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The women of the Broward Sheriff’s Office will educate women of all ages about the advantages of a career in public safety during the Women in Public Safety Symposium. The event will take place from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on March 14 at the Broward...
SCV law enforcement, first responders deal with coronavirus threat (CA)
While no confirmed cases of COVID-19 have yet been reported in Santa Clarita, local law enforcement officials and first responders are taking steps to mitigate potential exposure. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Following a press conference held by Los Angeles...
Joint Communication Center beginning to master balancing act (NE)
lace like the new Joint Communications Center at the Columbus Airport isn't something built overnight. It takes people working together to make a common cause a reality. In this instance, it took a massive undertaking from both the City of Columbus and Platte County....
Commissioners save $800K on emergency communications contracts (OH)
MANSFIELD - The Richland County Commissioners took major steps Tuesday to upgrade the county’s 30-year-old emergency communications system and remodel the 911 communications center. They also saved $800,000 in estimated costs as part of the process. Commissioners...
Lyon County Commissioners discuss valuation and purchase of Comm Center technology (KS)
[...] In other business, commissioners approved the purchase of new computers, monitors and additional cords and mounts for the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center for a total of $18,296.07... READ MORE
NENA Announces International Next-Generation Emergency-Calling Plugfest & Testing Event
6 hours ago (1 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanNENA: The 9-1-1 Association is proud to announce the commencement of planning for the first trans-continental interoperability testing event for next-generation NG9-1-1 and NG112 emergency calling.
This event will be realized through the union of NENA’s ninth Industry Collaboration Event (ICE 9) with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s (ETSI) and European Emergency Number Association’s (EENA) fourth NG112 PlugTest. This event will be volunteer driven, with charter, objectives, test scenarios and findings developed through NENA’s ICE planning and steering committees, ETSI and EENA. NENA’s ICE 9 coordination will be led by Chair Brooks Shannon of RapidDeploy and Vice-Chair Bill Roche from Mission Critical Partners.
The ICE 9 + NG112 PlugTest 4 event will focus on international and global interoperability testing through jointly sponsored tests between NENA and ETSI/EENA. This event will cover a variety of scenarios including:
ESInet / NGCS Interoperability testing between US and European environments, with lab-to-lab testing taking place between the NENA ICE 9 lab and the ETSI PlugTest 4 lab;
Voice communications interoperability NG9-1-1 and NG112 core services;
Testing of international peering scenarios and data interchange challenges/issues;
Internet of Things (IoT) and automatic/non-interactive emergency calls; and
Initial conformance testing of global implementations compared to normative standards including the NENA i3 family of standards the ETSI EMTEL specification.
“This collaboration is key to improving emergency-calling services worldwide,” says Monica Million, ENP, NENA president. “By working together with our global partners, we can take next-generation emergency-calling services to the next level. Through international events like this, our commercial partners can realize a global economy of scale while our public-safety members can leverage increased vendor competition and a greater diversity of technical solutions when designing and deploying life-saving next-generation 9-1-1 and 112 systems.”
NENA, EENA and ETSI will continue to work through 2020 to plan for the ICE 9 + NG112 Plugtest 4 event. More details about the event, including a call for vendor participation, is forthcoming.
Visitation at Butler County Jail suspended; more staff added in PSAP amid coronavirus threat (OH)
HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC) - In Butler County, Sheriff Richard Jones is taking every precaution to make sure the coronavirus doesn't spread to inmates or jail staff. Sheriff Richard Jones has increased staffing in the regional emergency communications center and activated...
ALERT: Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in the United States
This guidance applies to all first responders, including law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and emergency management officials, who anticipate close contact with persons with confirmed or possible COVID-19 in the course of their work. Summary...
COVID-19 Resources for 9-1-1 Authorities & PSAPs
COVID-19 Resources for 9-1-1 Authorities & PSAPs
4 hours ago (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanAs NENA continues to closely monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have developed a list of resources for members, chapters, and the greater 9-1-1 community.
NENA’s COVID-19 resource page contains items including PSAP-guidance documents, an EMD protocol, an on-demand webinar, event-planner assistance, health and hygiene best practices, and other resources to support you and your work during this ever-evolving situation. We will continue updating this page with new information as it becomes available.
Do you have or know of other resources that should be posted? If so, you can contact NENA’s Communications Director, Chris Nussman.
Ed Parkinson named as FirstNet Authority CEO
Ed Parkinson today was named by the FirstNet Authority Board as executive director—operationally, the chief executive officer (CEO)—for the FirstNet Authority, becoming the organization’s third full-time staff leader and its first in more than 17 months. FirstNet...
‘Alyssa’s Alert’ program to install panic alarms in schools heads to Ron DeSantis (FL)
More than two years after the 2018 attack at Broward County’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Florida Legislature has approved a measure requiring a mobile panic alert system in all public and charter schools. The legislation now goes to Gov. Ron...
Uber rolls out new 9-1-1 emergency app here in Idaho (ID)
BOISE, Idaho — Uber riders and drivers in Idaho will now be able to text 9-1-1 from Uber’s new in-app emergency button starting Tuesday. The feature is available everywhere in the state except Canyon and Latah Counties where the Text to 9-1-1 is not currently...
9-1-1 and COVID-19: Prevention when seconds count in Colorado Springs (CO)
COLORADO SPRINGS — "It does meet the criteria for Corona,” An attention getting communication from a police scanner. Radio communication between first responders in Colorado Springs saying they need to use the newly added Corona Virus protocol. The protocol is an...
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.
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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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