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911 calls from deadly Lahaina wildfire reveal terror and panic in the rush to escape (HI)
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) -- Audio of 911 calls from a deadly August wildfire released late Thursday by Maui County authorities reveals a terrifying and chaotic scene as the inferno swept through the historic town of Lahaina and people desperately tried to escape burning...
Avon police dispatcher on leave pending special prosecutor investigation (MA)
An Avon police dispatcher was placed on paid administrative leave on Wednesday, the same day it was revealed during an arraignment for Aidan Kearney, known for his controversial “Turtleboy” blog, that he had called a police dispatcher asking her to run license plate...
Beshear announces KSP graduates largest telecommunications class in agency history (KY)
On Oct. 6, Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police announced 30 telecommunicators, representing 13 posts across the commonwealth, have graduated from the KSP Telecommunications Academy. This is the agency’s largest graduating class in its history. READ FULL...
ECSO get approval for an advanced dispatch system (TX)
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) -The Ector County Sheriff’s Office will soon have a new piece of technology to help officers respond quicker to accurate locations. The Ector County Commissioners voted in favor of a new CAD system, which stands for computer aided dispatch.
Southampton Police shuts down dispatch center due to staffing shortages (MA)
SOUTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – The Southampton Police Department will be transitioning to utilizing the Easthampton Public Safety dispatchers due to significant staffing shortages.
SLO County sheriff, fire departments break ground on new dispatch center (CA)
State-of-the-art facility predicted to streamline first responder communication READ FULL ARTICLE
Sussex County cuts ribbon on new Emergency Operations Complex (DE)
SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. – Sussex County officials cut the ribbon on a new emergency operations center Tuesday morning. At the newly-dubbed Emergency Operations Complex, county leaders say emergency planners, 911 dispatchers, and paramedics will be working side by side....
911 dispatch wait times: help delayed due to staffing shortages (SD)
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The 911 dispatcher is where every emergency response begins. In an emergency, the amount of time it takes for help to reach you can be the difference between life and death. The growing dispatcher shortage could cause issues in rural areas...
Orange County’s 911 Dispatchers Are Chronically Overworked; Can They Handle the Next Disaster? (CA)
Orange County’s biggest emergency dispatch center is struggling to staff itself, raising questions over whether there are enough 911 dispatchers. Call center operators are ringing alarm bells saying they’re already brutally overworked – they also warn that the...
The harm caused by D.C.’s broken 911 system goes beyond deaths
A D.C. mother who was placed on hold when she called 911 says her daughter was a healthy 27-year-old and now depends on her for everything In the months since her daughter went from struggling to breathe to losing consciousness, Toni Barnes has learned how D.C’s...
Proposed DC bill will acknowledge dispatchers as “first-responders” and give them the same benefits
The bill will include dispatchers to mirror the benefits police, firefighters, & paramedics already receive. WASHINGTON — D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen is taking a significant step to address staffing shortages at the Office of Unified Communications (OUC),...
Concerns on emergency dispatch prompt Longboat to reexamine call routing (FL)
When you're on Longboat Key and call 911, who will pick up the phone?
All 911 dispatchers to lose jobs in Northern Kentucky county
FALMOUTH, Ky. (WKRC) – Pendleton County’s 16 emergency dispatchers will soon be out of jobs, they learned at a specially called meeting Tuesday evening.
Columbiana looking to outsource dispatching (OH)
COLUMBIANA — The city is looking to outsource its emergency and public works dispatching to the Columbiana County Sheriff’s office in light of a “critical” staffing shortage.
The dangerous consequences of wildland fire dispatcher burnout
Lightning strikes in a dry forest and starts a wildfire. It’s a hot, windy day, and the embers quickly spread. Smoke rises, and it’s detected, sometimes by satellites, lookouts or people who call 911. Reports bombard an interagency dispatch center: There’s a new...
Luzerne County 911 worker urges others to consider telecommunicator job (PA)
Kristen Rowlands said she was scared when she accepted a position as a Luzerne County 911 dispatcher in 2016.
‘It’s gonna take time’: STL safety director says 911 call center will improve (MO)
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - St. Louis city is not shying away from the fact that they need more dispatchers to pick up the phone when there is an emergency. “This problem didn’t happen overnight. It took a little while for us to get here and it’s going to take us a little...
FirstNet Chair Listening to FirstNet Users at Vision 2023
As the name suggests, the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association’s Vision FirstNet Users Summit (PSBTA, Vision 2023) is all about FirstNet. This is why heavyweights such as Chief Richard Carrizzo, FirstNet Authority Board Chair and Chief of the Southern Platte Fire Protection District in Kansas City, Missouri made a point of attending this year’s conference. It was held at the South Point Spa and Casino in Las Vegas, September 25 to 28, 2023.
SBC’s Foley: In-Building Coverage Problems Getting Worse
Being able to get signals in and out of buildings is a top priority for first responders. This is why the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association’s Vision FirstNet Users Summit (PSBTA, Vision 2023) focused on this issue during its Las Vegas conference. The event was held at the South Point Spa and Casino September 25 to 28, 2023.
Tyngsboro officials get pushback on regional dispatch review (MA)
TYNGSBORO — A standing-room-only gathering of town residents, police officers, firefighters and dispatchers crowded the Select Board meeting on Sept. 18 to urge caution over a proposal that would have Tyngsboro join Dracut and Tewksbury in a regional emergency...
WORKSHOPSMORE>
FirstNet Coverage Workshops
Free & open to all agencies. Don’t miss it!
Public safety professionals, don’t miss this opportunity to assess and improve your communications capabilities. FirstNet Coverage Workshops help agencies prioritize coverage needs and explore practical solutions for incident response.
Workshops are free and open to all public safety agencies. Reserve your spot now and ensure your team is mission-ready.
Reauthorization SurveyMORE>
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.
PETITIONSMORE>
Congress should reauthorize the FirstNet Authority now.
Support the reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority to preserve public safety’s network
PSBTA UpdatesMORE>
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
Public Sector GrantsMORE>
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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