Dispatches
MCEWEN RECEIVES HONORS
Harlin McEwen, currently chairman of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, recently was awarded the IJIS Institute’s Robert P. Shumate National Public Safety and Justice Contributor to Excellence Award and the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Presidential Award. Formerly the police chief for Ithaca, N.Y., and an FBI deputy assistant director, McEwen is a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s SAFECOM executive committee and previously served as vice chair of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council.
NYC FIRE DEPARTMENT NAMES ALERTS VENDOR
The New York City Fire Department named MIR3’s Intelligent Notification as its official emergency notification platform. The platform lets the department initiate a notification remotely, using the Web, phone, e-mail and other communication methods to alert recipients’ handheld devices. Notifications are sent via a two-way communication system, which sends recipients messages until they respond and confirm receipt, according to the company.
MIAMI AIRPORT INSTALLS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
Miami International Airport deployed a digital communication and video surveillance system, according to systems integrator Ericsson Federal. The company installed 500 video surveillance cameras, synchronized the system to support digital video and audio recording, and integrated the data to wirelessly transmit video feeds with audio and telemetry information directly to security workstations. It also installed an access control and alarm system to more than 1000 access points that support secure communications across the airport.
APCO ANNOUNCES RF SAFETY TRAINING
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials will offer Peoplesafe radio frequency (RF) safety training in cooperation with Sitesafe, an RF-compliance engineering firm. Peoplesafe is an online course on living and working safely around RF energy. Visit www.apcointl.org/institute/schedule_registration.htm for more information.
KENTUCKY STATE POLICE DEPLOY ALERT SYSTEM
The Kentucky State Police deployed Federal Signal’s SmartMSG critical communications system, which sends voice alerts or text messages to cell phones, specifically to personnel working in the state’s special response team, hazmat team and canine unit.
RADIO VET DIES AT 100
Harry Mills, who received his amateur radio license in 1922 — call sign 8VHX — when communications were regulated under the Department of Commerce, died last month. He would have turned 101 on Sept. 19. Mills owned his own radio equipment sales and repair shop, the Mills Radio Co., and later joined RCA, where he enjoyed a career that spanned three decades. During World War II, Mills installed submarine radar for the U.S. Navy.
