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ASO mourns CCC commander (FL)
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB)-- Employees of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office are saddened by the loss of one of their leading employees who died over the weekend. Combined Communications Center commander Brandi Cartee started as a telecommunicator and worked her way...
Finding – and keeping – good dispatchers is still a challenge for localities (VA)
One of the trending topics in the public safety world is the movement to reclassify individuals who answer the 911 calls and then dispatch the appropriate public safety assets from that of clerical workers to first responders. I agree that it is a long overdue...
Public Safety Hiring Update (AZ)
In an email to the college community on Jan. 28, Mike Hill, director of public safety updated the campus community about several positions that Public Safety is looking to fill. These include the senior positions of Associate Director for Operations and Associate...
United States: Kari’s Law Compliance Obligations Begin February 16, 2020
Kari's Law, signed into law on February 16, 2018, requires organizations that use multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) to provide callers with the ability to dial 911 directly from any telephone in the system. MLTS are often used in hotels, office buildings, corporate...
Completion of public safety building is near (ME)
The end is in sight! Excitement is growing in our police, fire and dispatch community as the completion of the new Public Safety Building is nearly within reach. If you have driven by the site lately, you have probably noticed the exterior landscape and hardscape...
UNDER THE HEADSET: A Day in the Life
This is the first installment in a series of fictional dramatizations about the trials and tribulations of a public safety telecommunicator. The story is fictional, but the circumstances are real for many employed in public safety communications.
Manatee County (Fla.) selects RapidDeploy to provide cloud-based 911 tactical mapping, data analytics (FL)
Manatee County, Fla., soon plans to install RapidDeploy’s cloud-based NG911 Bundle, which is expected to provide tactical-mapping and data-analytics capabilities to the county’s 911 emergency communications center. Funded with almost $100,000 from a state grant...
UPDATE: 9-1-1 Call System up and running in Christian County (MO)
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Mo.– Christian County officials tell Ozarks First reporters that 9-1-1 operations are working once again. The County originally warned of a system-wide outage on the afternoon of February 16th, 2020. The County says it’s still running tests on the...
Mississippi 911 Agency Adopts Cellphone Location Software (MS)
The triangulation of a 911 call from a cellphone can provide too large a search area for first responders when time matters most. In Mississippi, officials have embraced a no-cost software solution to narrow a caller's location to roughly 3 feet and help contend with...
UCP can bring back 9-1-1 EMS dispatch to Foothills (Canada)
When in an emergency, it’s nice to get help close to home. Foothills County is hoping the UCP will allow its residents — and those in Okotoks, Black Diamond-Turner Valley — to talk to someone close at home when in an emergency and possibly trying to save a loved...
Georgia’s public safety chief resigns after cheating scandal (GA)
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's public safety chief says he's stepping down just weeks after an entire graduating class of the State Patrol's Trooper School was fired or resigned after being accused of cheating on an online exam. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col....
New FirstNet Cell Sites Launch Across New Hampshire to Support Public Safety (NH)
Yesterday, Gov. Chris Sununu and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) joined AT&T to celebrate a major boost in wireless communications for New Hampshire first responders – the addition of new, purpose-built cell sites and 100+ other network...
Portsmouth Police, Fire Departments Transform First Responder Communications with FirstNet (OH)
Portsmouth’s Police and Fire departments are connecting their first responders to FirstNet – a new communications platform just for public safety. With the tech advancement, the departments can equip officers and firefighters with new capabilities and reliable access...
Norman facing $3.5M shortfall (OK)
Norman city departments may have to forego replacement of police vehicles and other vehicles as officials grapple with a continuing $3.5 million budget shortfall. By June 30, the Capital Improvement Project Fund will hemorrhage $600,000, which helps pay for the city’s...
Service dogs offer stress relief to county 911 emergency dispatchers (NJ)
The Hunterdon County Department of Public Safety Communication Division fosters stress relief within its 27 Public Safety Telecommunicators (PST), or 911 emergency dispatchers, with visits from service dogs. Because there are multiple demands placed on each...
Saint Vincent and Erie County 911 deploy lifesaving 9-1-1 mobile app (PA)
Community members across Erie County who know CPR are encouraged to download a new app. Saint Vincent and Erie County 911 have introduced the PulsePoint Respond mobile app. Those who sign up will receive alerts when someone nearby is in sudden cardiac...
911 dispatchers could soon be recognized as first responders (IA)
WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa (KWWL) – When you dial 911 in an emergency, the voice of the dispatcher is the first you hear. While their police, fire and EMS counterparts are considered first responders in the state of Iowa, emergency dispatchers are not. Emergency...
KY Dispatch Center Unveils 9-1-1 System Upgrades (KY)
Owensboro-Daviess County 9-1-1 dispatch has gone online with a new computer dispatch function that is expected to reduce the time it takes to dispatch responders to fire and medical calls. City-county 9-1-1 Director Paul Nave said the dispatch center tested the...
Former Georgia sheriff to lead Department of Public Safety after exam flap (GA)
ATLANTA (AP) — A former Georgia sheriff has been chosen to lead the state Department of Public Safety on an interim basis after its prior chief resigned in the aftermath of a cheating scandal involving state troopers. Former Tift County Sheriff Gary Vowell, who...
NENA Now Accepting McMurray Scholarship Nominations
NENA Now Accepting McMurray Scholarship Nominations
23 hours ago (0 Comments)Posted by: Chris NussmanNENA has established a scholarship program to honor the commitment of William “Bill” McMurray, ENP, Past President, to the mission of NENA and 9-1-1 education. The scholarship will be awarded for the NENA 2020 Conference & Expo, and covers the conference registration fee and four nights of lodging at a conference hotel (to be determined by NENA upon awarding of scholarship). Travel expenses to and from the conference and meals are not included in this award.
Please visit the scholarship webpage for information about the criteria, application procedure, and responsibilities. Click here to submit your application online. The application deadline is March 27, 2020.
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.
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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