Posts
Not Admitting a 9-1-1 Hang-Up to Vallejo Police Could Cost You
September 27, 2011Vallejo, Calif., police plan to teach residents to admit their mistakes, or pay if they don’t. Starting Oct. 1, trying to pretend an accidental 9-1-1 call never happened could result in a $200 bill. The department receives about 4,500 hang-up calls on its 9-1-1 line annually.
Read full articleFCC Staff White Paper Outlines Vision for ‘Deployable Aerial Communications Architecture’ to Improve the Ability to Communicate in Times of Emergency
September 27, 2011The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released a comprehensive white paper outlining a vision for how “deployable aerial communications architecture” (DACA) can be used to provide communications following a catastrophic event when the terrestrial communications infrastructure is severely damaged or unavailable. The white paper includes recommendations to the Commission for next steps on how to incorporate this technology into the nation’s communications infrastructure.
Read full articleAdams County Enters Radio Talks
September 27, 2011The Adams County, Pa., commissioners recently approved entering talks with three companies, each of which would provide a different portion of a new, multi-million dollar digital radio system to replace the antiquated analog radios used by the county’s emergency responders.
Read full articleGot an emergency?; Txt 911
September 27, 2011In August, the Durham Emergency Communications Center became the second 9-1-1 center to use the text-to-9-1-1 program. Only Verizon Wireless customers in Durham can send messages during the six-month trial.
Read full articleLos Gatos and Campbell Consider Consolidation of Their 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers
September 27, 2011“The dispatchers are the first contact a victim has with the police department,” Campbell Police Chief Greg Finch said, “so we’d have to see what we’d gain from consolidation.” He called the possibility of consolidation a new reality given the economic times.
Read full articleNYC Council Holds Hearing on Resolution to Pass S.911
September 27, 2011Three major New York City Committees are holding a hearing today to consider a resolution encouraging Congress and the President to sign into law S.911; The Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011. The Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services, jointly with the Committee on Public Safety and the Committee on Technology will convene at 10:00 a.m. in the 16th Floor Committee Room at 250 Broadway in New York City.
Read full articleRadio Plays an Important Role in Our Lives
September 21, 2011Radio remains accessible when other modes of communication go down in emergencies. … Disaster communication ultimately hinges on a surefire signal that’s accessible, and radio provides this. As we pick ourselves up and prepare for what might come our way next, it is important that our lawmakers safeguard radio’s incomparable link to public safety.
Read full articlePSA Sets The Record Straight; Reiterates Call for an Interoperable Broadband Data Network
September 21, 2011In strong reaction to media comments attributed to House Energy and Commerce Committee Majority staff earlier this week, the leadership of the Public Safety Alliance today challenged Chairman Upton and subcommittee Chairman Walden to back up their staff claims. In recent misleading comments in the press about the lessons learned from the East Coast earthquake House Commerce Committee’s Republican majority staff was quoted as saying “The big lesson from last month’s Virginia earthquake is that carriers need more spectrum, not public safety.”
“That won’t solve the problem,” according to past APCO President Dick Mirgon.
Read full articleMerged Dispatching Is Mixed Bag
September 21, 2011Shared 911 centers are saving for some cities but costing others. One planned for Scott County has lost momentum.
Read full articleOfficials Accept Bids to Refinance Metro 9-1-1 Call Center
September 21, 2011Kanawha County officials hope to save a little over half a million dollars by refinancing the 7-year-old Ned Chilton Metro 911 Center. The Kanawha County Building Commission opened bids for the refinancing package last week, Commission President Kent Carper said. Five financial institutions submitted bids for the refinancing.
Read full article