Commentary Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications 18th April 2022 I’m from a little town in West Texas. As a Texan, I like getting straight to the point: I believe that emergency communications are a matter of national security. Because this message is so important, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has designated this April as the first-ever Emergency Communications Month. At CISA, we […]
Commentary Rethinking mega-event private critical communications after Astroworld 5th January 2022 The catastrophic loss of life in November at the Astroworld music festival in Houston is a potent reminder of the special critical-communications needs that should be considered at large venues hosting tens of thousands of participants. Large-scale mega-events—for example, football games, music festivals, and concerts—are not unusual, and many take place safely. But tragedy is […]
Commentary Complacency is not an option 2nd November 2021 A rising tide of public-safety broadband networks (PSBN) around the globe creates opportunities for agencies delivering police, fire, and emergency medical services. But along with the chance to rethink traditional voice communications and add new broadband-enabled tools, agencies must assess and plan for the risk of network failure. Networks designed for public-safety operations incorporate layered […]
Commentary For public-safety communications, our past guides the future 28th October 2021 Reflecting on past innovation can inspire industry to deliver more for first responders. As the country honors first responders today, those of us in the public-safety community bear a special responsibility to recognize the valor of those who keep the public safe, protected, and healthy. We must show them our gratitude by making their jobs […]
Commentary Collaborative PS-IOT could supply missing pieces in public safety’s common operating picture 3rd August 2021 The explosive growth of the LTE ecosystem results from standardized open interfaces that enable the interconnection of innovative devices and networks. Much as LTE has grown thanks to a virtuous cycle spawned by standardized interfaces, so will future advances in public-safety command and control systems. At Fire Rescue International 2021 in Charlotte, innovators brought at […]
Commentary Communications solutions must evolve quickly to meet needs of a changing world 31st October 2020 The world has changed significantly in recent months, and there is no doubt we are living in unprecedented times. The ways in which we communicate have evolved rapidly, particularly for the first responders who have stepped up to fight the pandemic, wildfires, and more. There has been not just a flurry of new users, but […]
Commentary How satellite communications create a critical connectivity link for first responders 8th July 2020 During the 2019 California wildland fires, at least 874 cellphone towers were unavailable because of power outages or tech issues and damage from fire and wind. Up to 57% of cell sites in impacted areas were not working. The situation created what the director of the state’s Office of Emergency Services, described as a “worst-case […]
Commentary FirstNet Authority standards director recaps June 3GPP Plenary Meetings in Newport Beach, Calif. 1st July 2019 The June quarterly Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) meetings in Newport Beach, Calif., addressed standards in several areas relevant to the evolution of the public-safety broadband communications and the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). The major topic across the 3GPP plenary meetings was planning for 3GPP Release 17 (R17). This release will be built […]
Commentary Why every PSAP needs to be vigilant about cybersecurity 2nd November 2018 Public-safety answering points (PSAPs) are now well aware of the real-life stories behind the industry’s new concern: cybersecurity. As a quick reminder, here are a few examples that reiterate this significant threat: March 2018—A ransomware attack compromises Baltimore’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), causing a shutdown of the digital dispatch and recording systems. December 2017—A California man […]
Commentary Trick or treat? Next few months could influence direction of critical-communications world 31st October 2018 It’s Halloween, a time that celebrates the unusual and surprising. Even when you can anticipate that something is going to happen, it can be difficult to predict whether it will scare you to death or result in sweet rewards that can put a smile on your face. A similar sense of anxious expectation is surrounding […]
LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command 2 6th May 2022
Newscan: 911 dispatcher may be fired over handling of Buffalo shooting call dlvr.it/SQf0fq 19th May 2022
The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection dlvr.it/SQbls1 18th May 2022
Newscan: EV-infrastructure cyber vulnerabilities put cars, the grid at risk dlvr.it/SQKjJW 13th May 2022