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Hal Rogers announces $859000 for upgrading Johnson emergency dispatch system (KY)
Local officials joined U.S. Rep Hal Rogers on May 4 as Rogers announced nearly $900,000 in funding for upgrades to Johnson County’s emergency dispatch system. U.S. Representative Hal Rogers visited the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum on Wednesday, May 4,...
Nonemergency calls slowing down 911 operators in central Indiana
Nonemergency calls can tie up a line for those that have an urgent emergency. INDIANAPOLIS — Emergency operators say you'd be surprised how often people call 911 for something other than an actual emergency. "Pretty much anything like overflowing sinks, 'I've been...
FirstNet Authority, NIST Launch Immersive Virtual Experience Center for Public Safety
BOULDER, Colo. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today the launch of the Public Safety Immersive Test Center in Boulder, Colorado, to spur the...
What to know about Montgomery County’s 911 automated callback feature (MD)
When Amanda Bryans figured out that her husband was having a stroke, she immediately called 911. But instead of speaking to someone, she heard something that “sounded like a fax tone,” the Wheaton resident posted April 18 on the neighborhood platform Nextdoor. “I hung...
Getting Answers: emergency dispatcher staffing shortages (MA)
CHICOPEE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - When calling 911, a dispatcher is the first one to answer your call and they are a critical lifeline for many. Western Mass News recently learned that there is a dispatcher shortage locally with one dispatch center in Chicopee is four...
S.D. plans a push for telecommunicators
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota state government is launching a campaign to recruit telecommunicators to take phone calls and dispatch emergency services at 911 centers. The Sioux Falls-based marketing firm Epicosity has signed a three-year...
Why You Must Validate Compliance with the New E911 Laws
While participating in the 2022 Enterprise Connect annual conference panel on Managing E911 for Compliance and Safety, Martha Buyer, an attorney who was involved with the creation of Kari’s Law, stated, “Enterprises that operate multi-line telephone systems, and have...
Four GM 911 Employees Honored at State Public Safety Conference (NC)
Four Guilford Metro 911 (GM 911) employees were honored at the NC Public Safety Communications Conference in Wilmington, NC last week. Jeri Phillips was named the NC National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Telecommunicator of the Year. Angela Mitchell was named...
Pilot program will send mental health experts on 911 calls (PA)
HAVERFORD – U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon joined local police chiefs, county District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware County Council members and other officials Monday in announcing a $650,000 grant to fund a new pilot program for “Mobile Crisis Teams” that will...
AT&T Launches First-Ever Nationwide Location-Based Routing with Intrado to Improve Public Safety Response for Wireless 9-1-1 Calls
Device Location Now Used to Route 9-1-1 Calls and Dispatch First Responders to the Right Location Faster, Accomplishing Long-Standing FCC Policy Goal DALLAS, May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What's the news? AT&T* is the first carrier to launch location-based routing...
Emergency team honored for response that saved child’s life (TN)
Emergency responders often see people on their worst day, responding to calls that can forever change lives. They do the work they are called to do, but they often never know the outcome once they pass their patient on to the next caregiver. One Cumberland County...
AT&T Launches First-Ever Nationwide Location-Based Routing
The nationwide rollout has started and is available in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Guam. Additional regions will be rolled out over the...
States need more resources to meet expected demand for crisis hotline reboot: report
Instead of dialing 911, soon you can call 988 for a mental health emergency. But will states be ready? The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will be nationally available as 988 starting July 16, 2022, billed as the "911" for a mental health crisis. But there’s...
HigherGround Secures Patent from USPTO for Live911
HigherGround secures patent for Live911, allowing officers to hear real-time 9-1-1 emergency calls in their vehicles. Live911 is a first-ever solution to securely livestream 9-1-1 emergency calls directly to authorized officers in the field and present precise GPS map...
What happens when you call 911? (MA)
HOLBROOK, Mass – While one dispatcher takes the 911 call, another dispatcher will direct first responders to the callers’ exact location. That teamwork saves precious seconds. “Seconds of every day make a difference,” said Lauren Mielke, Holbrook’s deputy director of...
Telecommunicators Recognized with Two Awards (FL)
Pictured: Front: Tia Brand, Keri Halpin, Cindy Bresse, Kristen Williams, Christine Peterson, Kathleen Mitchell, Katie Herwig, and Christina Valderrama. Back row: Michael Speigle, Daniel Tutko, Kurt A. Hoffman, Jon Goetluck, Brian Woodring, Arik Smith. Sheriff Kurt A....
Under new law, WA dispatchers will be classified as first responders
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Maria Gilbert of Longview has instructed people on how to deliver babies, give CPR and escape a flooded vehicle, all without being considered a first responder. Her title is set to change thanks to a new state law that will classify 911 dispatchers...
Exclusive: AT&T launches new 911 location service
AT&T said Tuesday a new nationwide service will route 911 calls from its wireless subscribers to the closest dispatch center. Why it matters: 911 calls from wireless phones are typically routed based on the closest cell tower, which means that sometimes callers...
Investigation underway into cause of 9-1-1 service outage in Southern B.C. (Canada)
The group which runs 9-1-1 services says an investigation is still underway as to what knocked out services through wide swaths of southern British Columbia last night. E-Comm has confirmed callers from Lillooet to the East Kootenay were greeted with a busy-signal...
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service debuts updated dispatch system (Canada)
In an emergency, seconds count. You quickly dial 9-1-1, tell the call-taker what has happened, and within minutes responders arrive to the scene. While it seems simple enough, there is a lot going on in the background to make it all happen. To ensure 9-1-1 staff and...
UPCOMING EVENTREGISTER>
The Inaugural Howard C. Liebengood Foundation Symposium: The Evolving Law Enforcement Landscape & the First Responder Mental Health Crisis
Wednesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 1, 2026
Law enforcement is operating in one of the most demanding environments in modern history. Shifting public expectations, critical incidents, and ongoing organizational pressures have reshaped the profession, and the impact on officer health and agency stability has never been greater. This inaugural symposium convenes law enforcement leaders, mental health and health care experts, researchers, and bipartisan policymakers to explore practical, evidence-informed solutions. Grounded in research and lived experience, this symposium focuses on translating knowledge into action.
Over two days, participants will examine the evolving policing landscape, confront the profession’s mental health crisis—including elevated rates of suicide, PTSD, depression, and anxiety—and identify strategies to strengthen resilience, crisis response, and organizational leadership.
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.
REGISTER
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