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News & Articles
Fire Dispatch: Dispatcher Wellness: An Overlooked Concern
Firefighter fitness is a high priority. After all, firefighters might be called upon at any time to raise an unwieldy ladder, drag a heavy hose or rescue an injured citizen. These activities will occur while they wear 50 lbs. or more of gear and operate under...
Puppy brings comfort to North Carolina officers, dispatchers (NC)
FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville police officers and 911 dispatchers deal with stressful situations, and to help them get through those tough days is Mila. Mila, a 17-week-old schnauzer, will soon be a therapy dog. In January, she will start the first part of her training,...
New Huntsville-Madison County 911 facility expected to open in 2020 (AL)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala - After breaking ground roughly two years ago, the CEO of Huntsville-Madison County 9-1-1 said the 16 million dollar facility should be ready by March. The 30,000 sq ft building will expand the dispatcher/call-taker amount from 36 people to 52 people...
Call, Push, Shock. The motto that’s saving lives (MD)
GAITHERSBURG, Md. (WDVM) — Call, Push, Shock. It’s a phrase that’s easy to remember, and it saves lives. Call, Push, Shock is a new national collaborative movement with a simple mission, to motivate bystander CPR/AED action and increase sudden cardiac arrest survival....
911 call center wants people to know their alternate number (WA)
UNION GAP -- An outage at an emergency call center left people dialing 911 in need of help but, no one picked up and they want locals to know they can still be reached even during an outage. Suncomm Communications said the Cowiche, Tieton and Naches areas lost the 911...
After terrifying crash, woman met dispatchers whom she credits for saving her life (TN)
Vivian Gwinn hadn’t been driving her “silver bullet” very long when her “bullet” – her 2016 Kia Optima – was hit from behind on a drizzly January morning while she was on Alcoa Highway. Gwinn, 72, can’t be entirely sure what happened. She was headed to Blount County...
‘Tree of Life’ shows Rock Co. 911 dispatchers the difference they make (WI)
The communications center is now displaying those saves in a new way to show their call-takers that even on the tough days, they make a life-changing difference. One of those call-takers is Amanda Johnson. Johnson and her colleagues spend their entire shifts helping...
E-Comm releases worst reasons to call 9-1-1 in 2019 (Canada)
E-Comm dispatchers, responsible for 99 per cent of the province’s 9-1-1 call volume for 25 regional districts in BC, deal with more than a few calls from the public that don’t belong in the emergency category. In 2019, E-Comm continued to receive calls in 2019 that...
Small parking stall, bad hairstyle top E-Comm 2019 list of reasons not to call 9-1-1 (Canada)
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A hotel parking stall being too small and a hairstylist giving a bad cut may seem like emergencies to some, but they are no reason to dial 9-1-1, according to B.C.’s largest emergency communications centre, as it releases its top 10 list...
911 dispatcher arrested for child porn (PA)
Middle Smithfield Township (WNEP) — Richard Feely is behind bars on child porn charges. According to court paperwork he was busted by his own family. His adult stepson was visiting his parents for Christmas at their home near Marshalls Creek. He needed to print a...
Palm Beach County dispatchers reunite for the first time since kidney transplant (FL)
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — One co-worker's Christmas gift gives another a new chance at life walking into the New Year; a healthy kidney. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office posted a video to social media, telling the story of how one dispatcher donated...
Make 2020 Your Year to Learn and Grow
[Originally published in the January/February 2020 PSC magazine.]
It’s popular to start the new year with resolutions, but it’s also common to break those resolutions after a few weeks or months. One of the latest alternatives is to try something new every month, which, aside from avoiding that new year’s resolution pressure, offers the opportunity to meet new people, learn about yourself and expose yourself to new ideas. Trying new things regularly can help you grow as a person, boost your confidence level and expand your perspective on life in general.
If you want to give it a try this year, we have some suggestions for you.
January – Attend an APCO webinar. They are free for members and usually offer one CEU whether you log on to the live webinar or listen to the recording. There’s one on APCO Standards on January 22. Check out the full schedule at apcointl.org/webinars.
February – Apply for an APCO scholarship that provides members with funds for professional development and career advancement. The deadline to apply is March 31. Learn more at apcointl.org/scholarships.
March – Nominate someone you work with for APCO’s PSAP or Technology Leadership Awards before the deadline of April 1. Award recipients get a fully paid trip to APCO 2020, APCO’s Annual Conference & Expo, including registration, travel expenses and hotel accommodations. Learn more at apcointl.org/awards.
April – Celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) in a new way. Organize an open house or contact your city’s government to declare April 12-18 NSPTW in your town. Check out other ideas at npstw.org.
May – Join us for Nexus (May 21-22), an interactive, immersive experience of diverse scenarios handled the way they will be in the ECC of the future. Learn more and register at apconexus.org.
June – Check out what’s new on APCO’s website, apcointl.org. Hint: it might be a lot.
July – Take a “vacation” from trying new things and use the time to appreciate your family, friends and colleagues.
August – Volunteer at APCO 2020 taking place August 2-5 in Orlando and get one day pass for every four hours worked. To get the day pass, you must sign up to volunteer before registering for the conference. More information will be on apco2020.org in the spring.
September – Start the “school year” by signing up to volunteer on a workgroup developing new APCO standards or revising existing ones. Learn more at apcointl.org/standards.
October – Renew your membership early so you won’t have to worry about missing out on all the benefits of membership. Renew online at myapcointl.org/invoices.
November – Organize a team of friends or co-workers to give thanks by giving back to your community.
December – Pat yourself on the back for undertaking a year of new experiences that improved you, your job, your comm center and your community.
‘The holiday season has a different meaning now,’: California police dispatcher helps deliver baby over 911 phone call (CA)
VALLEJO, Calif. -- A Vallejo Police Department 911 dispatcher was credited for helping a California woman deliver a baby over the phone on Thursday evening. In a cheerful Facebook post, Vallejo PD shared the story of how they received a phone call on Dec. 21 around 8...
North Caldwell Police Hiring Dispatcher: Here’s What It Takes (NJ)
NORTH CALDWELL, NJ — The North Caldwell Police Department is looking to hire a full-time dispatcher, officials announced last week. The NCPD issued an advisory about the job opening on Dec. 27. According to police, applicants must meet the following criteria: Must be...
GFD training four new emergency medical dispatchers (Guam)
For the past several weeks, training has been ongoing for new emergency medical dispatchers. Guam Fire Department Chief Daniel Stone said currently there are four new EMDs."The training consists of several certifications that they'll be going through, just training...
911 dispatcher arrested for child porn, turned in by family (PA)
Richard Feely is behind bars on child porn charges. According to court paperwork he was busted by his own family. His adult stepson was visiting his parents for Christmas at their home near Marshalls Creek in Middle Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania. He needed to...
Monroe County Dispatcher Arrested for Child Porn (PA)
MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Richard Feely is behind bars on child porn charges. According to court paperwork he was busted by his own family. His adult stepson was visiting his parents for Christmas at their home near Marshalls Creek. He needed to print a...
Channel 2 viewers surprise 911 dispatcher battling ALS with donations, wheelchair van (GA)
COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The generosity of Channel 2 viewers is helping a 911 dispatcher who was diagnosed with ALS. As of Friday afternoon, more than 200 people have donated nearly $23,000 since Christmas Eve. Channel 2’s Chris Jose learned the Long family got...
Police dispatcher in Vallejo helps deliver baby over phone (CA)
VALLEJO (KRON) — A Vallejo police dispatcher is being praised after helping a mother deliver her daughter’s baby Thursday night — over the phone. Just after 8 p.m. Thursday night, a woman called 911 to report that her 27-year-old daughter was in labor. Dispatcher...
Longtime Cobb 911 dispatcher battling ALS receives wheelchair van, $23K in donations (GA)
Just before Christmas Day, a longtime Cobb County 911 dispatcher asked her community for help due to her continued bout with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS. Eulie Long, who was a dispatcher for 15 years, has seen her mobility continue to worsen...
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.
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