First Responders
First responders in states that opted into FirstNet can now use preemption services to prioritize mission-critical communications during emergencies, the First Responder Network Authority announced on Tuesday.
In addition to prioritizing the communications of primary users like firefighters,... Read More »
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has published a new guidance document to aid hospitals’ response to disease outbreaks.
The new guide, published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology and titled,... Read More »
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) team recently led three days of training on countering a potential nuclear threat for more than 70 local, state, and federal responders in Hawaii.
RAP held the event at the request of the state of... Read More »
Motorola Solutions recently unveiled the next generation of its future incident command concept for police and firefighters and its connected first responder concept, Responder Alert, at PMRExpo in Germany.
The updated incident command concept enables police and first responders to utilize an... Read More »
President Donald Trump recently signed into law the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act, which allows emergency medical responders to administer controlled substances under the supervision of a physician.
U.S. Representatives Richard Hudson (R-NC) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)... Read More »
More than $98 million in grants announced by the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday will help 179 law enforcement agencies across the nation hire 802 additional police officers in the coming years.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the funds would be awarded to state, local, and... Read More »
A U.S. Border Patrol agent, Rogelio Martinez, died this week as a result of injuries sustained while responding to activity in the Big Bend Sector in Texas.
Agent Rogelio Martinez and his partner were responding to activity while on patrol near Interstate 10 in the Van Horn Station area when... Read More »
After the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) was successfully used to coordinate multi-agency responses to recent hurricanes, additional training sessions have been held for federal, state, and local officials, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday.
ATAK, which was... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is collaborating with first responders to prevent, detect, and mitigate illegal jamming of communications systems through exercises, data collection, outreach and education campaigns and proposed new tools.
In... Read More »
During a visit to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) headquarters in Glynco, Georgia, on Tuesday, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke received an operation briefing, observed training programs, and toured a port of entry training simulator.
FLETC trains most of the... Read More »
Following a job fair called “Continue Your Service to America” held in August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday that job offers had been extended to 207 veterans.
Approximately 2,500 veterans attended the two-day job fair. Onsite job interviews were given to... Read More »
Existing federal grant programs would be expanded to help state and local governments deploy modern 911 systems that enable citizens to text for help and send audio, text or video files during emergencies under legislation introduced on Thursday.
The Next Generation 911 Act of 2017, which was... Read More »
The first nationwide public safety broadband network, known as FirstNet, secured partnership commitments from about half of the states and two U.S. territories by the end of October, according to testimony before a congressional panel on Wednesday.
Members of the House Energy and Commerce... Read More »
New York City first responders conducted this week a critical incident training exercise and tested new technologies provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) at Grand Central Station.
The New York Police Department (NYPD), the Fire... Read More »
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) announced this week an agreement to partner on building the National Mutual Aid System (NMAS) with health and safety solutions company Intermedix and spatial analytics company Esri.
The NMAS will replace the IAFC’s Mutual Aid Net tool built... Read More »
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security recently introduced a self-guided exercise scenario to help public health communicators and risk communication researchers prepare for transmission dilemmas they could face during a pandemic.
The SPARS Pandemic scenario book features the outbreak of... Read More »
Motorola Solutions recently introduced new integrated software-based communication solutions for first responders, which combine the company’s ASTRO 25 land-mobile radio (LMR) systems and public safety broadband.
“We are introducing new solutions and future concepts that use ASTRO 25 for... Read More »
A hearing of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications recently examined the status of emergency communication networks for first responders.
Chaired by U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY), the committee reviewed communications issues observed in the wake of acts of... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) faces various challenges in implementing its public safety broadband network, according to a recent review conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO was tasked by Congress to asses FirstNet’s efforts to establish the... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) gathered together first responders and public safety professionals earlier this month for a summit focused on flood resiliency.
It was the third annual gathering of the National Geospatial Preparedness Summit (NGPS). It... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T recently launched a developer program aimed at encouraging public safety innovation to equip first responders with state-of-the-art communication tools.
FirstNet said the initiative would also bring public safety professionals closer to... Read More »
A group of Latin American and Caribbean first responders recently participated in an emergency response training event involving chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals held at the Spanish National NBC Defense School in Madrid, Spain.
Developed by the Organization for the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations at Charleston Seaport as well as local, state, federal law enforcement and emergency services agencies recently participated in a training session aboard the Carnival Ecstasy cruise ship.
The training session, led by CBP,... Read More »
A joint project between private, academic and military interests has the potential to make screening and treating populations for infectious diseases easier and safer.
The $11.7 million multi-year project, to create a new universal surveillance platform for infectious disease outbreaks, will be... Read More »
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Tucson Office of Field Operations recently hosted a two-day conference for law enforcement personnel on the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Held at the headquarters of the Tucson Police Department, the event featured... Read More »
The recent active shooter attack in Las Vegas serves as a reminder of the ever-present threats facing the United States and the importance of such events as New York’s Excelsior Challenge.
Modeled after other real-world incidents that have recently occurred in Orlando, London, Paris, and... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) recently delivered official notice of State Plans to governors regarding the nationwide broadband network for public safety personnel.
Governors have until Dec. 28 to choose to either accept the FirstNet/AT&T plan to deploy the network or begin... Read More »
A plan to protect subways in the event of a chemical or biological attack is ready to be put into place and implemented, scientists say.
Mark Tucker, engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, is leading a project to study how to decontaminate chemical and biological weapons attacks, such as... Read More »
Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee recently sent a public letter to Comtech President and CEO Fred Kornberg, requesting a briefing regarding reports that company outages have prevented people from connecting with 911 operators.
The letter was sent by U.S. Reps. Frank... Read More »
A bill that gives the children of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS workers the maximum Pell grant authorized by federal law was recently advanced by the U.S. Senate.
The legislation, titled the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Bob... Read More »
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced that the state would partner with FirstNet and AT&T to establish a wireless broadband network, including modernized devices, apps, and tools, to enhance communication between the state’s first responders.
"The safety and security of Texas... Read More »
The Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) recently approved its FY2018 budget of $73.5 million, which will provide a focus on continued deployment, operation, and oversight of its nationwide public safety broadband network.
The budget also includes provisions for public... Read More »
Sandia National Laboratories recently developed a software application for mobile and traditional computing devices analyze gamma radiation data collected at the scene of an emergency involving radiation.
Sandia’s InterSpec team includes software developer and physicist Will Johnson and... Read More »
Since its rollout in early July, a total of 20 U.S. states and territories have decided to opt-in to the AT&T-First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) nationwide public safety broadband network.
The interoperable communications system allows emergency response personnel to securely and... Read More »
Federal authorities are warning potential donors for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts to be on the lookout for scammers.
The call comes from multiple branches of the federal government, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) sending warnings... Read More »
