Industry
Editorial: Flaws in City’s 311 System Can Be Repaired
October 13, 2011Don’t hang up yet on Philadelphia’s fledgling 311 nonemergency call service. Despite a critical review by City Controller Alan Butkovitz, Mayor Nutter’s signature customer-service initiative – given more time, and with improvements suggested by Butkovitz – could live up to its promise.
Read full articleInterim Director Picked for 911 Center
October 13, 2011A veteran of consolidated 911 operations will take over the Delaware County dispatching center on an interim basis, if commissioners approve the appointment this week. The 911 board, which oversees the center, voted yesterday to appoint Barbara Temple as the interim director.
Read full articleFamily Lost in Corn Maze Calls 9-1-1
October 13, 2011DANVERS, Mass. (AP) — Authorities in Massachusetts say a family that got lost in a seven-acre corn maze called 911 for help, apparently taking advantage of the police department’s motto that says “We Want To Be Bothered.”
Read full articlePublic Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Comment and Reply Comment Dates for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Next Generation 911 Proceeding
October 13, 2011On September 22, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Next Generation 911 (NG911) proceeding. The NG911 NPRM sought comment on a number of issues related to accelerating the development and deployment of NG911 technology that will enable the public to send emergency communications to 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) via text, photos, videos, and data and enhance the information available to PSAPs and first responders for assessing and responding to emergencies. The NG911 NPRM set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 60 and 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Read full articleSafety Chief: State Needs Just Two Emergency Call Centers
October 7, 2011AUGUSTA — Maine has 26 public safety answering points. Public Safety Commissioner John Morris believes they can be reduced to just two for the entire state. He said the move will save money, but others are not convinced that will work.
Read full articleNorth Jersey: Better Cop, Fire Radios Nearer
October 6, 2011You could almost hear the cheering across North Jersey last week as police and fire officials voiced support for proposed federal legislation to buy them new radios and fulfill a post-9/11 mandate to unify their disjointed communications system. But are these officials ready for the next step — regionalization?
Read full articleAtlantic City Casinos Give Police Access to Surveillance Systems; Will Share Video, Voice, Text Via Internet
October 6, 2011ATLANTIC CITY — Police will soon have access to the casinos’ surveillance systems to help them fight crime in the Tourism District. By early next spring, all gaming halls will be part of Mutualink, a radio and wireless interoperability system that will allow law enforcement access to the closed-circuit televisions in each casino as well as hospitals and other public institutions. State officials said access to the cameras will help emergency responders in the event of a terrorist attack or other public safety event.
Read full articleCalls to Update Reverse 911 System to Go Out on Friday
October 6, 2011To ensure the CodeRED emergency notification system includes all land-line telephones in the area, a special message will be sent to selected numbers on the Lincoln County reverse 911 system at 2 p.m. Friday.
Read full articleConnecticut Man Charged with Drug Dealing after Making 9-1-1 Call
October 6, 2011LINCOLN, Maine – A Connecticut man being held at the Penobscot County Jail on drug trafficking charges late Wednesday might have created his own problem by calling 911 to report people trying to break into his apartment, police said.
Read full articleAPCO International Appoints Derek Poarch as Executive Director
October 5, 2011The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International announced the appointment today of Derek K. Poarch as executive director. Poarch comes to APCO International with more than 30 years of public safety experience, and demonstrated leadership in law enforcement and federal telecommunications policy.
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