The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Dec. 14 meeting yielded a host of rulemaking actions when it comes to hot button topics for the commission, including E-Rate broadband bidding, emergency alerts, and robocalls.
A new report from Verizon Frontline found that 93 percent of first responders believe intergovernmental coordination is critical when responding to an emergency and 80 percent believe that interoperability – defined as the ability to communicate across agencies regardless of network or device – is urgently needed.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo appointed 11 public safety, technology, and finance leaders to serve on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) Board. Stephen Benjamin, mayor of Columbia, SC, was named the FirstNet Authority’s new board chair.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing $1 million in research and development (R&D) to create open-source first responder robots.
In a bid to improve emergency communications in New York State, Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged $45 million in state funding to improve the operability of emergency communications statewide.
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) has launched a new drone program to quickly and efficiently clear roadways while conducting thorough crash investigations.
The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) has launched a new computer-aided dispatch system (FireCAD) to replace its now-retired STARFIRE system, Business Wire reported. The system was launched with the help of professional services firm Accenture, which designed and developed the platform.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the FCC is entering into partnerships with 11 Federal, state, and local agencies to assess the delivery of Wireless Emergency Alerts in areas across the country during a planned nationwide test on August 11.
In a move to help increase law enforcement accountability, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced that the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is releasing $7.65 million in a competitive microgrant grant solicitation that will fund body-worn cameras (BWCs) to any law enforcement department with 50 or fewer full-time sworn personnel, rural agencies, and Federally-recognized Tribal agencies.
Penn State University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) announced that it has adopted the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), a dedicated nationwide broadband network for public safety organizations.
