Archive
Register for the Public Safety Communications Building Blocks
June 30, 2011Public Safety Communications Building Blocks will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, 12:30 pm- 4:00pm (new time). This is a great opportunity for solutions and technology providers to better understand the dynamics and operations inside a public safety communications center.
Read full articleC4i Announces 9th Version Of Communications System
June 30, 2011In July 2011, C4i will welcome an upgrade of their interoperable communications system with the release of SwitchplusIP Version 9.0. This new version is endowed with many great new features, in addition to the usual reliable functionality expected from C4i.
Read full articleDealing with the Unexpected
June 30, 2011Stress, anxiety and fear are common emotions people experience during disasters—both natural disasters and personal crises. As a public safety telecommunicator, on duty you’re familiar with how to calm others in life-and-death situations, but what about you personally? How do you stay calm? Here are seven techniques to help you stay calm when dealing with the unexpected.
Read full articleOn Your Watch
June 29, 2011It was 1995. I authored a state public safety communications newsletter with background information on narrowbanding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). At the time, it was called refarming.
Read full articleCheck Your License
June 29, 2011As of Jan. 1, 2013, all FCC Part 90 licensees operating in VHF spectrum 150–174 MHz and UHF spectrum based on location 421–512 MHz must reduce their emission to 12.5 kHz or less or use technology that provides an equivalency to 12.5 kHz in a 25 kHz emission. The FCC’s ultimate goal is for 6.25 kHz or equivalent emission in the future. As of today, the FCC has not set a date for when this must take place.
Read full article‘Unfunded Mandate’
June 29, 2011Politicians tell us the recession ended last year. If you ask a person standing in an unemployment line in New York, Philadelphia, Denver or Los Angeles if they agree with that assessment, they’d probably say no. If you take a close look at many state and local budgets, prosperity is hard to find. More and more, the states are withholding funds that used to be passed on to municipalities to help with their projects.
Read full articleNarrowband Migration
June 29, 2011If your radio system is subject to the FCC’s narrowbanding mandate and you haven’t yet started the process, it’s time. “You can’t put your head in the sand on this one,” Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Radio System Analyst John Johnson told Public Safety Communications in April. So why have agencies postponed taking action on an FCC mandate that’s been on the table for more than 15 years?
Read full articleFrequently Asked Questions about Narrowbanding
June 29, 2011This article addresses frequently asked questions about the FCC’s narrowbanding deadline. It addresses compliant equipment, coverage, digital radio vs. P25, efficiency and more.
Read full articleStarting from Scratch
June 29, 2011Developing training, whether it’s a single class or a comprehensive agency program, can be daunting. You may find it more manageable, if you follow four simple steps.
Read full articlePacifica City Council Approves Outsourcing Police CommunicationS to South San Francisco
June 29, 2011Pacifica, Calif. — City Council unanimously approved on Monday an agreement with the city of South San Francisco to handle all communication services for the Pacifica police department. It was another step among many City Council took to trim personnel and city services in every department to pass this year’s budget.
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