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Now hiring: Columbus Division of Police looking for dispatchers (OH)
COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Crystal Teamer experienced stressful situations when she worked as a flight attendant. Nothing though that compares to the stress she deals with in her current position as a Columbus Police 9-1-1 dispatcher. “I had a call last week, it bothered me,”...
Judge Refuses To Dismiss Plush Family Lawsuit Against City
Hamilton County Judge Robert Ruehlman has overruled a motion by the city of Cincinnati to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Kyle Plush. But the city is looking to the Court of Appeals, filing its request just hours after Ruehlman's decision....
Tinder adds a panic button for dates that go wrong
Tinder is following in Uber's lead in adding in-app safety features for dates that become unsafe.The dating app is adding new safety features, including a panic button that alerts safety authorities if something goes wrong during a date. Tinder has also added the...
Work Begins on New Scott County Budget (IA)
Work has started on the Scott County budget for next year. On Tuesday, staff made their first presentation to the board of supervisors, and that'll be followed by several study sessions, leading up to final approval in March. Budget Director, David Farmer, says the...
NICE Opens Nominations for 2020 PSAPs’ Finest Awards Celebrating Leadership in Public Safety Communications
In its 15th year, NICE Public Safety’s prestigious awards program recognizing emergency communications professionals adds a Lifetime Achievement Award NICE (Nasdaq: NICE) today announced that it has opened nominations for the 2020 PSAPs' Finest Awards, an annual...
New tower to improve internet for some (KY)
STAMPING GROUND — Rural residents are used to having things just a little more difficult; hard water, longer trips to town and a lack of neighbors to help with just about anything. These folks are generally happy to trade these inconveniences for the peace and privacy...
Reducing 911 Dispatcher Burnout & Turnover Through Behavioral Insights
A new report from the Behavioral Insights Team & the University of California at Berkeley connects a sense of belonging to employee retention Over the course of a year, the average 911 emergency service dispatcher will take over 2,400 phone calls. These calls can...
Penobscot Regional Communications Center is the busiest in the state (ME)
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - The Penobscot Regional Communication Center is the busiest Public Safety Answering Point in the state. The director of the center says in 2019 they handled over 63,000 9-1-1 calls. They also took 289,000 other calls and made 1.5 million radio...
Carroll County short on funding for more staff at 911 center after revenue projections disappoint (MD)
Carroll County’s government expected to receive at least $1.7 million in new revenue from a statewide phone fee, but in reality the amount was about one-third of what county staff predicted. As a result, county officials who were hoping to use increased revenues from...
Santa Fe County weighs closure of juvenile detention facility (NM)
Santa Fe County is considering closing its juvenile detention center because of declining bookings, rising maintenance costs and growing liability risks, according to a memo sent to county commissioners earlier this week. Commissioners will direct the county to either...
Woman charged for abusing Jackson County 9-1-1 system (OR)
MEDFORD, Ore. – A woman pleaded guilty to improperly using 9-1-1 during a domestic dispute. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said on the afternoon of May 3, 2019, April Goheen called 9-1-1 in a “frantic voice.” She told a dispatcher her husband was at...
Sioux City Fire Rescue’s EMS division granted prestigious accreditation (IA)
SIOUX CITY (KTIV) -- Sioux City Fire Rescue has been granted accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, within two years of beginning operation of the EMS Division. The accreditation process examines all aspects of ambulance operations,...
Ralls County 911 extends partnership with Marion-Lewis 911 under new name (MO)
911 calls are going to a new place in one part of Northeast Missouri. Ralls County 911 officials said they have a new agreement to extend the partnership between Marion Ralls County 911, and it's saving them money as well. The partnership between the two dispatch...
Comtech Awarded $14.2 Million Multi-Year Contract Extension to Provide Enhanced 9-1-1 Technologies to U.S. Tier One Carrier
MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 23, 2020-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL), a world leader in secure and highly reliable communication technology, announced that during its second quarter of fiscal 2020, its Safety & Security Technologies...
How behavioral ‘nudges’ can reduce burnout among 911 dispatchers
Cities across the United States are struggling with a growing public safety problem that’s largely invisible to the public: a shortage of people willing to work high-stress jobs answering 911 emergency calls. The problem is taking a toll on emergency...
Collierville dispatcher saves woman’s life at local restaurant (TN)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A Collierville dispatcher and restaurant worker teamed up to save the life of a woman who started choking during a dinner a Firebirds in Collierville. Dispatcher Tyler Barthel said his training on how to do the Heimlich maneuver properly became...
Chicago’s 911 emergency center to get a $75 million upgrade
The 20-year-old computer-aided dispatch system that forms the guts of Chicago’s 911 center will be replaced by a new system that accepts texts, photos and videos from emergency scenes. After years of planning, City Hall has chosen TriTech Software Systems to install...
Rockwall Police Communications Center serves as ‘Safe Trade Zone’ for internet purchases, child custody exchange (TX)
The Rockwall Police Department has designated the front of its Communications Center, located at 205 West Rusk, as a “Safe Trade Zone” for internet purchases and child custody exchange. The area is under 24 hours of surveillance to ensure safety... READ MORE
9-1-1 in need of help
PLYMOUTH CO. — In 2019, the Plymouth County Communications Center saw more than 19,500 calls for service with 6,000 of those 9-1-1 calls, according to Kirk Hatting, communications supervisor. Those numbers have increased substantially over the years as officers get...
Wake 911 now gets pics, video through text messages
Raleigh and Wake County residents have an additional way to communicate with 911. You can send a text message that includes pictures and videos to the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center (911). A text or data plan is required to place a text to 911. Check...
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We welcome your insights on the experiences and operational challenges you encounter as a public safety professional. By participating in this FirstNet Authority survey, you’ll help shape future enhancements to ensure they meet the mission‑critical, real‑world needs of the public safety community. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
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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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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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