Posts From Public Safety Communications
Managing Blood Sugar
December 28, 2010Every 20 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes. Managing your total amount of carbohydrate intake in a meal is essential to controlling blood sugar, and knowing how fast a carbohydrate enters the bloodstream can help.
Read full articleAPCO Applauds Chairman Genachowski’s Plan to Modernize Nation’s 9-1-1 System
December 27, 2010Alexandria, Va. — APCO International supports Chairman Genachowski’s Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on transitioning from a voice only 9-1-1 system to a broadband-enabled, Next Generation 9-1-1 system that is better equipped to accommodate all channels of twenty-first century communication.
Read full articleEven Reindeer Need GPS
December 20, 2010To get Santa to the right chimney on time, Rudolph’s red nose has been supplemented by a whole bunch of navigation and communications electronics over the years. His electronics far surpass even today’s police, fire and EMS vehicles. (And, sadly, Rudolph’s red nose is caused by the non-ionizing radiation from all of the sleigh’s transmitters.)
Read full articlePolishing the Protégé
December 20, 2010The importance of creating a culture of support within an organization, including public safety communications agencies, cannot be overstated. As leaders we have an obligation to our people to be mentors and help them achieve their greatest potential. Mentoring benefits the mentor, the protégé and the organization.
Read full articleConnecting Mt. Blue
December 16, 2010A Maine mountaintop is slated to be the site of a unique communications tower that combines a 1944-style structure with modern microwave technology. The planned Mt. Blue tower is part of Maine’s statewide communications consolidation project, which will incorporate the FCC’s narrowbanding mandate.
Read full articleThe Lost Art of Delegation
December 15, 2010You’ve been the operations coordinator for about a year, and you feel like you can never seem to get through your weekly to-do list. One day during a gripe session with the director, you tell her this. She says, “Why don’t you delegate the scheduling to Joe.” Seeing an uncomfortable look come across your face, she asks, “You aren’t afraid to delegate, are you?”
Read full articleAPCO AFC to Cease Coordination of New Part 90 Wideband Applications
December 9, 2010The FCC’s Part 90 interim narrowbanding deadline is Jan. 1, 2011, after which the FCC will no longer accept applications…
Read full articleSeattle PD Dispatchers Tweet about Stolen Cars
December 2, 2010This week, the Seattle Police Department has begun using Twitter to disseminate information about stolen vehicles. The new protocol directly affects 9-1-1 center personnel, who have the task of tweeting the information.
Read full articleGrants from OnStar May Assist EMS in Predicting Injury Severity
December 1, 2010OnStar is enhancing its core safety focus. In coordination with the GM Foundation, OnStar is providing a grant of $500,000 to the International Center for Automotive Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System for research related to the prediction of injury severity level after a crash.
Read full articleA Master Plan
December 1, 2010Business experts have long considered strategic planning a necessary tool for success, but we suspect that few comm centers develop and implement meaningful strategic plans. Strategic planning is rooted in future-oriented, proactive thinking that anticipates change and adopts long-term strategies to meet the demands of that change. In other words, it is a “master plan” for your comm center.
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