On May 31, APCO filed comments with the FCC regarding an announcement by the nation’s largest wireless providers of a voluntary framework to enhance coordination and communication to advance wireless service continuity and information sharing during and after disasters.

On June 1, APCO filed an ex parte letter with the FCC regarding the 4.9 GHz band. In the letter, APCO responded to a recent proposal in the record to reiterate the need for public safety frequency coordination in the band and expressed concern with the use of unproven technology to provide a spectrum sharing system that does not prioritize public safety communications.

AFC, APCO’s frequency coordination department, is pleased to introduce its network of dedicated local advisor volunteers. APCO’s advisors are responsible for frequency coordination in their home state and we would like to bring awareness and recognition to the dedication they exhibit on a daily basis.

Meet this week's local advisor Eric Linsley from Alabama. Linsley is employed by Mobile County Commission as the Director of Public Safety Communications and has 20 plus years in Public Safety Radio Communications.
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Tulsa Business & Legal News House Bill 3126, by state Rep. Josh Cockroft and state Sen. Jason Smalley, increases the transparency and accountability for 9-1-1 fees and provides state coordination for improved 9-1-1 service delivery.

FirstNet With the deadline for submitting proposals for the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) closed, FirstNet is moving into the remaining phases of the evaluation process and is on the way to establishing a unique public-private partnership to deploy the best possible network for public safety.

WTSP The Sarasota Sheriff’s Office has become the second county in Florida to start using the new technology (Collier County also implemented the next generation 9-1-1 upgrades).

Fox 59 Bloomington city council members unanimously passed a new public safety tax that will add 0.25 percent to the current income tax, for the past several weeks. The tax is earmarked only for public safety needs.

MyEverettNews.com As the 4th of July approaches non-emergency calls start to increase, including questions about the legality of fireworks, reporting neighbors shooting them off, checking the time a public display is scheduled, etc. In an effort to free up 9-1-1 for true emergencies there is now a new non-emergency number for people living in Everett.

Petoskey News-Review A meeting held between commissioners of Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet (CCE) counties provided the elected officials a review of recent efforts and what's in store for emergency communications in the near future.

Vindy.com Senate Bill 187 authorizes first responders, emergency medical technicians and firefighters to assist with injured dogs and cats, though it prohibits those responders from administering drugs to the animals without first consulting a licensed veterinarian. The bill will not allow residents to call 9-1-1 seeking emergency treatment for injured pets, but paramedics could provide assistance if already on the scene of fires or other emergencies.

(From the May/June Issue of PSC Magazine) To first responders, mobile voice networks are valuable in providing mission-critical, standards-based, interoperable voice communication between agencies. Ultimately, however, it is new, innovative, mission-critical mobile applications (apps) that will transform the way first responders carry out their duties.