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Sheriff’s 911 Center Director Christina Mortimer Awarded Public Safety Executive Designation (FL)
On Friday July 22, Communications Director Christina Mortimer graduated from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Institute (APCO), Certified Public Safety Executive (CPE) program. The graduation ceremony was held at the Shores Resort in Daytona...
‘Signifies Professionalism’: Westfield Police Accredited for Emergency Comms Ops (NJ)
The department is the first in Union County and the fifth in New Jersey to earn accreditation for the entire agency and the dispatch center, the chief said. The Police-Fire-EMS Communications Center of the Westfield Police Department has earned a prestigious...
House debates NG911-funding bill, postpones vote
U.S. House members yesterday expressed support for legislation that would provide as much as $10 billion in federal funding to pay for a transition to IP-based next-generation 911 technology—as well as extend the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions—but...
Newborn dies, DC 911 sent crews to wrong address
A day-old baby girl died earlier this month, after D.C. 911 dispatched emergency crews to the wrong address for a newborn in cardiac distress. Safety advocate Dave Statter, on his Statter911 website, said the parents of the newborn woke up, on July 3, to find their...
Palm Bay police emergency response times soar amid staffing woes – (FL)
Palm Bay residents who call 911 seeking help during emergencies — think active shooters, sexual assaults, even drowning swimmers — are waiting an average of 2 minutes longer for police officers to respond than they did in 2020. The thinly spread Palm Bay Police...
Iredell commissioners recognize ECOM training coordinator for service to community (NC)
Iredell County Emergency Communications training coordinator Jody Sherrill was recognized recently by the Board of County Commissioners for being named the N.C. Association of Public Safety Communication Officials Trainer of the Year for 2022.
Callaway County Sheriff’s Department seeks national accreditation (MO)
FULTON, Mo. -- The Callaway County Sheriff's Office is pursuing accreditation from a national program. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies -- CALEA -- is a national group that provides an accreditation program for public safety agencies. In...
911 upgrade for county now complete | News | (IL)
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Sheriff’s Office Communications Center receives Emergency Medical Dispatch Accreditation (CO)
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) Communications Center has been re-accredited as the world's 29th Medical Accredited Center of Excellence. Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) promotes organizational excellence in public safety communications by encouraging...
Next Generation 911: Why your agency’s success and community’s safety depends on having updated technology
NG911 technology breaks down borders and removes the roadblocks that hinder responders from doing their job – saving lives READ FULL ARTICLE
Critical staffing levels in Kootenai County’s 911 Center force changes to response (ID)
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center is being forced to make response changes because of critical staffing levels. The 911 Center is approved for 25 emergency communications officers and call takers, but there are currently only 10 ECOs and...
News Flash • North Fayette Township, PA •
The North Fayette Township Police Department is excited to join forces with the Allegheny County Emergency Services 911 Communication Center beginning on August 3, 2022, at 8:00 AM. This will allow quicker service to the residents of North Fayette Township, as we will...
Odessa 911 Emergency Dispatch struggling with recruitment & retention amid low pay (TX)
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The sound of an emergency call is a sound familiar to any Odessa dispatcher. But lately, that sound doesn’t guarantee an answer. “Even with the minimum of four people working, 911 calls definitely get missed,” said Sonya Cortez, the Quality...
Gilbert PD Announces Launch of New Dispatch Systems – (AZ)
Gilbert PD announced the launch of a cloud-based Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS) software platform from Versaterm Public Safety, providing residents enhanced security and police emergency response capabilities. The new Gilbert Police...
Calhoun County to launch new emergency alert system Aug. 1 – (MI)
Calhoun County will soon shift to a new system for emergency notifications. The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management Division and Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch announced they will transition to the Rave Alerts system beginning Aug. 1.
Clark County dispatcher resigns after internal investigation finds she called 911 caller “a little liar” (OH)
A dispatch manager, Nicole Elliott, wrote on the incident to Clark County Sheriff’s Office administrators. “[Her] actions on the first call not only delayed response by the first responders, but also put the lives of the four victims in more danger by disconnecting...
‘Nothing can ever prepare you.’ Johnson County dispatchers recall mall shooting response (IN)
When the first calls about a shooting at the Greenwood Park Mall came into the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center on Sunday, dispatchers were only just beginning their shift. The B-shift, which is typically from 5:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., started as it...
Changes made to Hollister 911 dispatch | News Free | (MO)
The City of Hollister’s 9-1-1 calls will now be dispatched through the Taney County Sheriff’s Department as part of an intergovernmental dispatch agreement. “This decision was made when it was realized that those who reside and travel through our great city would be...
Charges filed against 3 men in connection with lawsuit that accuses 911 dispatcher of not … (PA)
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — Three more people are facing charges in connection with a federal lawsuit in Greene County that accuses a 911 dispatcher of failing to send help for a dying woman. Greg Leathers, Richard Policz and Richard Jeffrey Rhodes are charged with...
911 dispatcher hopefuls tested during Santa Fe call center rapid-hire event (NM)
Not long after the start of a recruiting event Thursday for the local emergency dispatch center, the three participants listened to harrowing audio from a decade-old 911 call. A woman provides an address and then screams, “No, no! Please, no.” A man takes the phone...
UPCOMING WEBINARREGISTER>
FirstNet Independence: A governance case study
Thursday, February 19, 2026
1:30 PM PT | 2:30 PM MT | 3:30 PM CT | 4:30 PM ET
As we are near the time Congress must reauthorize FirstNet, there needs to be a discussion on the review of FirstNet Governance. Join former FirstNet Board Chairs Sue Swenson, Chief Richard Carrizzo, and former Vice-Chair Chief Jeff Johnson, as they discuss the value of an independent FirstNet Authority, program oversight, and the need to protect and advance the nation’s public safety network.
The creation of the FirstNet Authority marked a deliberate and historic policy decision by Congress to establish an independent, nationwide public-safety broadband authority insulated from traditional departmental control. Born out of the lessons of 9/11 and codified in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, FirstNet was designed to operate with a singular mission: to ensure reliable, interoperable communications for the nation’s first responders. The discussion will examine the governance structure, rationale for its statutory independence, and oversight model.
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.
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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.
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