COVID-19 has been hard on everybody across the nation, but it has been especially hard on senior citizens. Many seniors struggle with technology, and with pandemic forcing the nation to rely on technology, seniors are having more issues than ever before. With social distancing requirements, many are turning to the internet for social interaction as…
Tag: technology
New Technology Assisting 911 Centers
Emergency response and healthcare workers have been in the spotlight as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and record levels of calls for service. With the strain on 911 centers, new technology has played a big role in assisting 911 telecommunicators answer the call and help those in a time of need. New communication technology…
NG911 Technology: What state and local communities need to know
UNITED STATES — As states and localities transition to Next Generation 911- and national public safety groups like APCO push for more NG911 technology in call centers- here are some things they must consider. Read the full story below. (https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2019/09/ng911-technology-what-state-and-local-communities-need-know-perfcon) “Everyone knows from movies and TV shows that when you dial 911 on your phone,…
911 gets an upgrade; Millions in grants aim to boost public safety by modernizing systems
BREAKING NEWS — 911 facilities in more than 30 states will see a wave of grant money for technology modernization, after more than $109 million in grants were recently announced by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Transportation. Read the full story below. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyamohn/2019/08/18/911-gets-an-upgrade-millions-in-grants-aim-to-boost-public-safety-by-modernizing-systems/#115916906d1d) “More than $109 million in grants have been issued to 34…
BREAKING: States move ahead with digital license plates, new tech sparks privacy concerns
BREAKING NEWS — Maryland is the latest state to launch a pilot program to test digital license plate technology for consumer use, despite the growing privacy concerns sparked by the new tech. News agencies are reporting the two-year pilot program is to test the tech for potential customers, and that the devices are equipped with…
NIST’s new public-safety tech challenge comes with $2.2 million in prizes
BREAKING NEWS — More than $2 million in prize money will be up for grabs this year, as The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Public Safety Communications (NIST) announced the “Tech to Protect” challenge, which will be hosted during 10 in-person coding events in 10 cities across the country this fall. The challenge hopes…
How a robot named ‘Colossus’ helped firefighters save Notre Dame from total destruction
PARIS — Firefighters had a secret weapon when Notre Dame caught fire: A robot named ‘Colossus’, according to news stories filed less than a week after a devastating fire at the Paris landmark. Officials are reporting a tanklike machine played a crucial role in keeping the cathedral standing, and credited Colossus with suppressing the blaze when firefighters…
REPORT: The estimated costs of NG911
WASHINGTON — After two years of research, a team of experts has determined that it will cost between $9.5 and $12.7 billion over the next ten years to expand NG911 technology across America. News agencies say the report was requested by Congress. (https://www.911.gov/911connects/issue-6A/ng911-cost-study.html) “While public communication becomes increasingly digital and existing technologies become obsolete or…
California invests in new technology to improve location accuracy of 911 calls
CALIFORNIA — Around 400 Californian 911 call centers will receive significant boosts to location services after the state announced it was investing in new technology earlier this week. According to some news reports, more than half the calls made to 911 in the state to not have a dispatchable address attached to them. While no figures…
BREAKING NEWS: RACOM maintains LMR communications, despite tornado hitting network cores
BREAKING NEWS — Today’s headlines from IWCE’s Urgent Communications touts a U.S. based company maintained LMR communications for first responders as a tornado directly hit headquarters. Reports show despite significant damage to a RAMCOM facility in Iowa, their P25 and EDACS systems maintained communications for every public safety first responder throughout the devastating storm. (http://urgentcomm.com/p25/racom-maintains-lmr-communications-despite-tornado-hitting-network-cores-company-headquarters)…
Public safety basics: Why are police car lights red and blue?
Maybe you asked yourself after you saw an officer pull over a speeder, or perhaps a child posed the quandary during a parade with police presence. It’s a simple question; why are the flashing lights on police cars red and blue? But it turns out the answer isn’t as simple as the inquiry. We went looking for…
BREAKING NEWS: Former FirstNet executives form Public Safety Technology Alliance
According to reports from online news aggregate Fierce Wireless, several former FirstNet executives have recently formed the Public Safety Technology Alliance, the PSTA for short, where first responders from around the United States will work together to promote open standards and interoperability for industry related broadband wireless communications. Read the full story below. (https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/former-firstnet-executives-form-public-safety-technology-alliance) “Standardization…
North Region Communication Center 