Policy & Law Commentary

Commentary

Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority?

Recently there was an article titled “LMR remains most reliable technology for public-safety communications,” written by the executive director of the Forestry Conservation Communications Association (“FCCA”). To some extent there are some truths to that, but it is not an absolute. Indeed, it is far from it. There were some assertions in the article that […]

LMR remains most reliable technology for public-safety communications

From the early beginnings of the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) concept, the network was considered supplemental to existing land-mobile-radio (LMR) communications systems. Certainly, it could be an important supplement to existing mission-critical systems by providing a variety of additional information to first responders, e.g. blueprints of a building for firefighters. The network was also […]

Commentary

Things to know about IWCE 2024: Conference highlights

We have revamped the conference track structure this year, organizing tracks by specific industries, as well as by technological topics. Whether you work for a utility, are responsible for the critical communications for a transportation network, or are among those making first-response effort a reality, you will find sessions organized in a track established for […]

Commentary

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

As the new Congress begins its work in earnest, we look forward to continued progress in funding the transition to IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) technology. Our nation’s 911 systems are critical to ensuring the safety and security of our communities, and nationwide implementation of NG911 will ensure these systems can leverage the most advanced communications […]

Commentary

Swatting has serious implications and shouldn’t be ignored

A rash of “swatting” incidents occurred across the country in September. Swatting is the practice of falsely reporting an emergency to elicit a law-enforcement response, ideally one involving the SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team. As an example, Cincinnati-area high school was placed on lockdown when a 911 call was made to report an active-shooter […]

Commentary

LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

The grief following a firefighter line-of-duty death (LODD) is beyond words. Fellow firefighters are devastated. Families are shattered. In the aftermath, questions arise about the circumstances: Was the loss preventable? What was the chain of actions leading to the catastrophe? Central to these questions is the role of incident command (IC), the command’s situational awareness, […]

Commentary

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

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

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

As public-safety officials today commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the FirstNet Authority being created, the deployment of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) has proceeded well enough that no one needs to face a firing squad, according to former Authority board Chair Sue Swenson. “Save it for another time,” Swenson said during a recent […]

Commentary

It’s time to give 911 professionals the recognition they deserve

It’s a common refrain among those of us who work in 911 centers that we don’t take compliments, we take tragedies. Whether the call is about a heart attack, a house fire, a shooting, or a natural disaster, we’re trained to handle each call calmly and quickly. Quite often, things happen so quickly that we […]

Commentary

Unfinished Business: Why NFPA and IBC fire codes need to kill the fire phone

In the human body, the appendix seems to serve no functional purpose. Why did the organ appear? How can it come out of people’s bodies with no harm? Much as a person’s appendix is a mystery organ with no value, the North American fire codes contain a similar useless bygone artifact. The omnipresent-but-never-used wired two-way […]

Policy & Law Commentary

Commentary

Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority?

LMR remains most reliable technology for public-safety communications

Commentary

Things to know about IWCE 2024: Conference highlights

Commentary

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

Commentary

Swatting has serious implications and shouldn’t be ignored

Commentary

LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

Commentary

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

Commentary

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

Commentary

It’s time to give 911 professionals the recognition they deserve

Commentary

Unfinished Business: Why NFPA and IBC fire codes need to kill the fire phone

Commentary

September 3GPP Plenary: 6G officially begins, Release 19 on track

Latest 3GPP standards-development work includes new classes of HPUE, progress on mission-critical services

Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority?

Video

Check out key takeaways from Disaster Management Symposium webinars, register to view archives

Video: Opening of the Expo Hall on day three of IWCE 2023

Lynk CEO Charles Miller: The sky’s the limit

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IWCE 2019 Wrap Up