Posts From Public Safety Communications
Savannah Chatham Metropolitan 9-1-1 Celebration Plans
April 20, 2011Catherine “Cathy” Plaster, communications center coordinator for Savannah Chatham (Ga.) Metropolitan 9-1-1, informed us that it has an extensive week planned for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 2011.
Read full articleIn the Spotlight: Art McDole & Preston Thomson
April 14, 2011PSC caught up with Art McDole and Preston Thomson, longtime friends and APCO members, in the Exhibit Hall at the 2009 Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
Read full articleMark Brady Makes His Mark as PIO
April 7, 2011Throughout his 33 years with his agency, Mark Brady, public relations manager and public information officer for the Prince George’s County (Md.) Fire/EMS, has served his community well — as fire dispatcher for 17 years and now as the liaison between the department and the public.
Read full articleIt’s Time
April 7, 2011A countdown clock on the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau website is ticking away the days, hours and minutes left to comply with a federal mandate designed to ensure more efficient use of the radio spectrum used by public safety organizations. The mandate calls for narrowbanding, meaning existing licensees operating on a 25 kHz channel (wideband) operating at VHF (150–174 MHz) and UHF (421–512 MHz) using Part 90 frequencies must reduce their emissions to 12.5 kHz. All Industrial/Business and Public Safety Radio Pool licensees must comply by Jan. 1, 2013.
Read full articleAPCO International Hosts New Broadband Summit
April 1, 2011Daytona Beach, Fla. — APCO International will present its first Broadband Summit and Expo on May 16-18th at the Renaissance Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. This summit will engage both policymakers and practitioners in discussions on public safety broadband issues and industry demonstrations of LTE technology.
Read full articleNational Public Safety Telecommunications Week is April 10-16
March 30, 2011National Public Safety Telecommunications Week (April 10-16, 2011) was established by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Sheriff’s Office in 1981 to raise awareness of the hard work and dedication of 9-1-1 calltakers, dispatchers and other telecommunications staff.
Read full articleAPCO International Project 33 Training Standard Model for Arkansas Public Safety Telecommunicator Training
March 28, 2011Daytona Beach, Fla. – On Wednesday, March 23rd, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe signed a bill into law that makes minimum training available for public safety telecommunicators across the state. The bill, HB 1741(now Act 640) which was filed on February 28, passed through the state House and Senate with no opposition.
Read full articleAPCO International to Honor Advocates of Public Safety
March 25, 2011Daytona Beach, Fla. — Public safety communications leaders and others will assemble in Washington, D.C., on May 17 to attend APCO International’s 7th Annual Leadership Awards. The Public Safety Communications Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner recognizes the leaders in public safety communications who continue to advocate for the industry.
Read full articleHighly Successful Women’s Public Safety Conference Reconvenes in Florida
March 18, 2011The APCO International Women in Public Safety Communications Leadership Conference will reconvene in Orlando, Fla., for the third annual women’s meeting, April 13-14. The 2011 conference schedule, which includes sessions in leadership, life in public safety, career development and work/life balance, delves into long-term career issues confronting women in public safety leadership positions.
Read full articleSpoofing Still Plagues PSAPs
March 17, 2011PSAPs across the country are still experiencing issues with spoofing, which refers to a caller’s ability to modify caller ID, including the name and number. Although it seems like just a harmless prank, spoofing can tie up emergency resources. The FCC is currently accepting comments on regulations to prohibit this misrepresentation.
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