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Moral takes dip at 911 call center (PA)
The Chester County Department of Emergency Services’ 911 Center is experiencing an unprecedented loss of emergency dispatchers that has left a significant gap in the county’s public safety system and has forced the county to scramble to fill slots left vacant over the...
FIRST NG9-1-1 CALL HANDLING SYSTEM APPROVED
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextGen NOW is accelerated in California with the certification of NGA's NEXiSConnect™. After several months of rigorous testing, Next Generation Advanced (NGA) is pleased to announce that its multimedia Call Handling...
APCO International Announces 2022 Award Winners
Alexandria, VA – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Emergency Communications Center Awards and Technology Leadership Awards. The winners will be recognized during the Opening...
Public Safety Advocate: Spectrum, Licensed and Unlicensed, Who Wins, Who Loses
Article after article has been written to make a case that broadband in the United States should be available to all regardless of where they are located or their ability to pay for the service. While “broadband for all” has been a goal for the wireless/fixed...
Ask Asa: Wireless carrier is improving mobile 9-1-1 call routing (GA)
When consumers place a wireless 9-1-1 call, they expect the nearest 9-1-1 call center will answer so there's minimal delay in getting help. But the Federal Communications Commission — the FCC — has long worried about legacy approaches to wireless 911 call routing that...
For 911 dispatchers behind the lines, trauma is just as real (VA)
‘We are never seen, but we are always there.” This is the basic description of a person who works as a dispatcher, answering the frantic calls of people in need, says Tommy Tucker, director of Chesterfield County’s Emergency Communications Services. The job of a...
Port Arthur woman allegedly made 17 calls to 9-1-1, offered thousands to avoid arrest (TX)
A Port Arthur woman has been charged with bribery after allegedly making 17 calls to 9-1-1 before offering officers thousands of dollars not to take her to jail. Gloria Mae Cole, 42, was indicted Wednesday by a Jefferson County grand jury on the second-degree felony...
Marshall County Sheriff honors Dispatchers Hite and Budd with Life Saving Award (IN)
MARSHALL COUNTY — Marshall County Sheriff Matthew Hassel presented Life Saving Awards to Dispatcher Morgan Hite and Dispatcher James Budd. On March 25 of this year at approximately 9:09 a.m., Marshall County Central Dispatch received a call from a female at Gatewood...
In an emergency in Sauk County? You can now text 911 (WI)
BARABOO, Wis. — If you’re in an emergency situation in Sauk County, you now have a new way to get in contact with first responders. The message is sent like any other text. Simply type 911, with no spaces or dashes, into the “send to” field. Your first message should...
New Program Improves Efficiency Of Oneida County 9-1-1 (NY)
The Oneida County Department of Emergency Services has implemented a new program that will improve 9-1-1 response times, accuracy and efficiency. County Executive Anthony Picente says the program will eliminate miscommunications and unnecessary calls between alarm...
How Will Public Safety Be Affected by the 3G Sunset?
Companies Tout Benefits of Upgrading to 5G Networks Despite protests from some organizations, such as the AICC, AT&T maintains it has done about all it can to prepare customers, with at least three years’ notice of the change. The company also provided business...
Ravalli County 911 Dispatcher is Awarded (MT)
Montana's 911 Dispatcher of the Year is Amy Cianflone of Hamilton. She was one of an honored group of emergency medical services providers recognized at an awards ceremony at the Helena Capitol Rotunda this week. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has proclaimed May...
Florida first responders’ communication network gets big update
Florida first responders can now access the most tech-advanced communications system available with a new partnership from L3Harris Technologies and FirstNet from AT&T — the result of a $451 million contract renewal approved by the state legislature last spring....
New info confirms DC 911 didn’t share key details with police before man died in Washington Channel
DC’s Office of Unified Communications (OUC) told us about its “commitment to transparency” (above) when they shared its “findings” about the mishandling of a March 14 emergency where David Griffin died. In those “findings” (below) — sent March 29 to a council member...
‘Understaffed and underfunded’: E-Comm struggling to meet demand for BC 911 calls (Canada)
As B.C. prepares for another wildfire season, staffing levels at E-Comm 911 remain strained. Staffing has been a long-standing challenge for E-Comm, with the organization commissioning a report in 2021 that recommended hiring at least 125 full-time staffers to meet...
80% of Baltimore 911 calls are non-emergencies. A new plan will make the department more efficient, officials say. (MD)
If you call 911 to report a stolen package in Baltimore, dispatchers will soon ask you to do it over the phone or online, instead of sending a police officer to respond in person. If you report someone having a behavioral health crisis, a social worker will be...
Iredell County ECOM training coordinator honored with statewide award (NC)
Iredell County Emergency Communications is proud to announce that Iredell County ECOM Training Coordinator Jody Sherrill was awarded the 2022 N.C. Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (NC-APCO) Communications Trainer of the Year at...
Laconia state school agreement helps state’s plan for new $10M E911 center (NH)
LACONIA – A new $10 million emergency 9-1-1 facility may be built in Laconia on state land after the Executive Council and the City of Laconia came to an agreement about various parcels around the former Laconia State School property, Wednesday. Commissioner of Safety...
Clark County 911 dispatchers tackle difficult job — and they are hiring (WA)
Several of Clark County’s 911 dispatchers never imagined they’d be the ones answering the phones when someone calls about an emergency. One said she was working at a bank when she decided to apply at the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency’s dispatch center....
Putting FirstNet to the test for remote 9-1-1 operations
By John Hunt and Lori Stone, Senior Public Safety Advisors, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) One thing the 9-1-1 community learned from the pandemic was the need to plan for alternate ways to work. Rather than be tied to workstations at fixed...
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.
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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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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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