Results - Topic: PSAP Operations

9-1-1 dispatcher handles call on son's drowning

Surely an emergency dispatcher's worst nightmare is handling a call involving their own family. Illinois 9-1-1 Dispatcher Tracy Wilson experienced just this on June 17th when she took a call for a water rescue at the Rock Cut State Park after a canoe tipped over. After handling the call and getting rescuers on the way, Wilson received a cellphone call informing her that the victim was her son, 17-year old Mitchel Krause. He had been in the canoe when it tipped over on Pierce Lake and was...

9-1-1 Dispatchers Can Save More Lives by Coaching Bystanders in CPR

More people will survive sudden cardiac arrest when 9-1-1 dispatchers help bystanders assess victims and begin CPR immediately, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

9-1-1 Magazine New Portal for No Cost 9-1-1 Training Programs

In a time when 9-1-1 agencies are clamoring for more training with less money 9-1-1 Magazine is proud to announce that high quality 30 and 60 minute training programs produced by the Law Enforcement And Public Safety Network (LEAPS.TV) will be available without cost and without registration on the 9-1-1 Magazine video portal.

Alabama PSAP Catches Prank Caller Using the Cassidian MIS Solution

The Morgan County (AL) Emergency Management Communication District (MCEMCD) recently utilized the Aurora management information system (MIS) solution from emergency communications leader Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, to correctly identify the source of a series of prank 9-1-1 calls.

Automatically Search Audio Recordings for Key Spoken Words

The Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) initiative seeks to significantly expand the capabilities of today's emergency 9-1-1 centers in order to optimize call-taker performance and enhance the center's overall incident response and resolution efforts. Primarily focused on a center's ability to handle text, data, images and video, there is another significant component to also consider - the use of audio-based intelligence in the mission-critical emergency services environment.

Bi-Partisan Amendment Promotes Next Generation 9-1-1

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the country received encouraging news on December 1, as a bipartisan group of Representatives in the House passed an amendment aimed at improving the capabilities of the nation’s 9-1-1 centers.

Cassidian Communications Provides Gaston County, N.C., 9-1-1 Center with Emergency Call Processing Solution

Cassidian Communications has implemented its next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Sentinel Patriot call processing solution within the Gaston County, N.C., Police Department 9-1-1 Communications Center via communications solutions integrator, Wireless Communications. The cost-effective and proven NG9-1-1 call processing solution, Sentinel Patriot , now supports Gaston County 9-1-1. No single point of failure and redundant servers ensure 9-1-1 calls are answered efficiently.

Dispatch ICS

When an extraordinary incident hits a community, the dispatch center is thrown into an exceptionally busy period of critical, peak activity. There is the potential for chaos to reign, or for conflicting orders from multiple supervisors to throw dispatch operations into disarray. Having a standardized method of managing extraordinary incidents in the dispatch center will maintain a smooth operation and maximize support to the field responders. A manner of incident command, modeled after the...

Dispatching in Slippers: The Future of Public Safety Communication Centers?

The "Anytown" Police Department took a page from the private sector and had taken advantage of having employees working from home. They realized that the role of the Public Safety Dispatcher has evolved from being just a job for a clerk to answer the phone and radio. Their roles are now that of highly skilled professionals who fill a unique niche that few can replace... But Pat and his fellow Anytown dispatchers had phones routed to their homes, along with all of the computer equipment...

Durham 9-1-1 Center Extends Texting Trial for Emergency Help

In order to continue to gauge the effectiveness of the new "text-to-9-1-1" technology, the Durham Emergency Communications Center and Verizon Wireless are extending the trial period beyond the January 31st deadline to now end on April 30, 2012.

E911: Raising Awareness for a Critical Component of Emergency Communications

Over the years, I've met with many safety officers and other managers who think a lot about emergency preparedness at our schools, corporations and government institutions. ... most of these organizations are not using all the tools available to provide the highest level of safety in the event of an emergency. While their intent is right, many safety officers are simply not aware of technology solutions that exist today for multi-line telephone systems that can ensure the right help gets to...

From a Text Message to a Life Saved

Think you're good at giving good driving directions, specifying street names, lane ends, and landmarks like the mountains east and west of the your community? The same ease probably wouldn't apply in places around Saskatoon, Canada... Just ask Ron Boechler, the police chief for Corman Park, a Rural Municipality (RM) located around Saskatoon. He'd have been lost without the guidance of MD Ambulance Dispatcher Kim Wruck. Without their teamwork, a young woman would not likely have survived the...

Jonesboro Is Fired Up About FSA I/O Fire Dispatch System

The City of Jonesboro, a thriving municipality of 70,000, home to Arkansas State University and major companies like NicePak and Nestle, was outgrowing its emergency dispatch capabilities as times and technologies changed. As Jeff Presley, E9-1-1 Director for the City and Craighead County describes, "We were using an analog paging system that was antiquated, trying to patch into the State’s new digital 700/800MHz radio system. We needed to find something reliable, a secure pathway between our...

Matrox Avio Series: Dual-DVI Fiber Optic KVM Extender Solution for Graphics Systems

Matrox Graphics Inc. has unveiled its Matrox Avio Series, a new line of fiber optic KVM extenders for graphics intensive design and visualization applications within the government, military, and other markets. The KVM extender transmitter/receiver pair enables users to secure the host computer in a call or operations center's climate-controlled machine room by capturing the system's I/O functionality and extending it up to 1000 meters over a single fiber optic cable.

Miracle on the Hudson - The Rescue of Flight 1594: The View from Dispatch

Yesterday marks the third anniversary of the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River that saved the lives of all 155 people on board the aircraft. The firefighters and officers who worked the night tour of January 14th and the day tour of January 15, 2009 were in for a busy 24 hours. The men and women of the Manhattan Communication Office were in for a busy day tour. However, they didn't realize how busy!

New Patch Panels Enhance Call Center Cable Management

Tripp Lite, a world-leading manufacturer of power protection and connectivity solutions, has introduced two new Cat6 Patch Panels with unique form factors. The addition of these models provides new durable, convenient, space-saving possibilities for cable management. Both of the new patch panels are TAA-compliant, meeting the requirements for GSA schedule purchases.

New TV Show takes a close look at strangest non-emergency 9-1-1 calls

If you are an emergency Dispatcher, we know you've heard some crazy calls and we want to hear about them! WORLD'S MOST RIDICULOUS 911 CALLS is a new TV show that dissects one of a million crazy, non-emergency 9-1-1 every week and asks the question everyone wants the answer to: WHAT were these callers thinking?!

Ozaukee County Goes Live with ProPhoenix Public Safety Software

The Ozaukee County (WI) Sheriff’s Department flipped the switch to release the live Phoenix software suite to fulfill their public safety needs. Home to a population of 87,000 residents and 215 sworn officers, Ozaukee County is now utilizing Phoenix Computer Aided Dispatch, Law Enforcement Records Management, WDA Mobile, Citizen Services Program (CSP), and soon, Corrections Management Software.

Pacific Interpreters Partners with First Contact 9-1-1 to Improve Language Access for 9-1-1 Call Centers

Pacific Interpreters, Inc., a leading provider of over-the-phone interpreting for Healthcare, Government, and Business Markets, has announced a strategic partnership with First Contact 9-1-1, a well-known supplier of high quality education and training programs to public service agencies, to improve language access for 9-1-1 Call Centers.

PowerPhone Wins 2011 Gold CQIA Innovation Prize

PowerPhone, Inc., a leading provider of 9-1-1 call handling systems, has been awarded a "gold" Connecticut Quality Improvement Award (CQIA) Innovation Prize for their flagship Total Response system, which combines 9-1-1 dispatcher training, tools and accreditation.

Redefining the Human Machine Interface

Simultaneous auditory stimuli (e.g., radio and telephone transmissions) is a common occurrence within in the 9-1-1 communication center. Competition for the telecommunicator's attention and comprehension with receipt of two simultaneous verbal transmissions may result in critical information being missed or lost when switching between tasks. To better manage competing auditory activity, the telecommunicator needs a process to receive, analyze, and organize this activity in such a way that...

The Hidden Hazards of Chemical Suicide

Police and firefighters in Aurora, Colorado responded to an apartment building after a report was made of the smell of rotten eggs in the area. The building was evacuated, and responders entered an apartment whose bathroom had been taped shut with duct tape. Signs warned of hazardous materials inside. A young woman's body was soon removed from the residence. Welcome to the new and terrifying world of chemical suicide. As a 9-1-1 dispatcher, it's important for you to know that this threat...

TriTech and Medic Partner on Technology Initiatives to Improve Emergency Response

TriTech Software Systems and Medic, Mecklenburg County's Emergency Medical Service Agency, have partnered on important technology initiatives designed to improve emergency response. TriTech will provide its VisiNet Mobile data solution in Medic vehicles and install a VisiCAD Disaster Recovery solution for an off-site emergency backup dispatch center.

Woman jailed for 9-1-1 misuse over bad manicure

A Florida woman was jailed after she called 9-1-1 in Volusia County, Florida, four times after a fight with a nail salon over a bad manicure. Cynthia Colston told My Fox Orlando that she called after the nail technician became aggressive with her when she refused to pay as much as the store was charging for nails that she said were too short.

Zetron Unveils Innovative 9-1-1 Call-Taking System

Zetron, a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions worldwide, is unveiling its new MAX Call-Taking system at the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conference and trade show in Minneapolis, MN, June 18-23, 2011. MAX Call-Taking is one of Zetron’s MAX Solution family of products, which includes the recently released and well-received MAX Dispatch System.