Dispatch Magazine On-Line

The Wrap-Up

Gary Allen — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:09:56 +0000

After 39 years in public safety communications and 20 years sitting at a console answering 9-1-1 calls and coordinating police, fire and EMS field units by radio, I’m really retiring. I won’t be adding new material to this Web site or even tending to it. But it will remain for awhile as a potential reference. I’ll be watching my email, but replies will be “iffy.” My eternal thanks to Alan Burton for sharing so much information and inspiration, and for his confidence in my abilities, both for dispatching and writing. He is still my hero.

For those continuing along in the profession, be proud of what you do. The best 9-1-1 calls I’ve ever heard are the ones that made the personal connection. Use your name and the “I” word. Recognize your potential impact on each and every person you contact, either at the front counter or on the telephone or radio.Don’t try to save the entire world. Just do one good thing for one person during each shift. It makes an impact.

Take care of yourself. Dispatching is tremendously stressful, and a long career can take a toll in many different physical and emotional ways. Develop a team of supporters. Move towards “the rocks,” the people who give you energy, and move away from those who take energy away.

Prioritize your time—you’ve heard it before: family, friends, dreams and goals first, and only then your job. The ultimate goal is: no regrets.

Find a hero, pick out his/her strengths and strive to follow that person’s example. Identify a mentor who will support and guide you, and help you improve.

In turn, be someone else’s hero. Put out your hand to pull a colleague up. Move another person up the ladder ahead of you. Share your knowledge and experience, either individually or with a group. Hopefully I have done some of this, both in-person and through my writings about the profession.

I started as a civilian fire dispatcher in February, 1976 at the fire alarm office adjacent to Station 2 at 1915 Henry Street, Berkeley (CA), I was among the second group of three civilians each that they hired to replace firefighters at a cord-type, telephone switchboard that connected the alarm office and seven firehouses. We answered routine and emergency 10-digit telephone numbers and (later 9-1-1 calls from the early Alameda County 9-1-1 system. We also coordinated fire units on the radio (on 154.19 MHz), and monitored the city’s Gamewell firebox system that rang bells and printed out codes on paper tapes.

In 1984 the Fire Alarm Operator position was eliminated in a city budget move in response to State Proposition 13 (that limited how and how-much property taxes could be increased. The FAO position was replaced by the position of Public Safety Dispatcher (PSD). Existing FAOs were allowed to transfer and almost everyone did.

The police-fire center was located in city’s first combined police-fire civilian comm center (previously sworn BPD officers) It was on the second floor of the 1939-era, Hall of Justice Building at 2121 McKinley Avenue. The Henry Street fire alarm office was closed after the physical move was completed.

After the FAO/PSD change, the different types of incoming calls and duties caused some of the FAOs to resign from the police-fire center. Over a period of time, new PSDs were hired from the outside, and the FAO positions were no more. During the transition to PSD, officers sometimes continued to work in the comm center for overtime as Control (radio dispatching). The police department’s civilian Police Service Assistant position was also used to fill call-taking duties.

The police-fire comm center had been upgraded in 1970 with a conveyor belt to system to transport IBM incident entry cards between the two main areas: Dispatch (call-taking and Control (radio dispatching.). The upgrade included a new four-channel Motorola, UHF radio system (460 MHz) that included remote receivers around the city to improve officers’ portable radio coverage on HT100 radios.

I retired as a Sr. PSD in 1999 to write and edit the printed edition of Dispatch Monthly, and later the on-line edition, Concurently, I was a sworn Berkeley Police Reserve officer (#692), sworn in on March 18, 1974. For 41 years it gave me a valuable double-perspective on dispatching, to hear both sides of the radio, learn geography and what was happening on the street.

That’s really it. The future is up to you. Learn, be involved, take control. There are a tremendous number of critical projects in-progress right now within public safety communications. They will affect thousands of lives for decades. it’s an exciting and dynamic time. But it takes participation by those in the industry—those who know it best—to make it successful. Join APCO and NENA, participate on a committee. Contribute feedback. Help make the future better. It’s entirely in your hands. — Gary Allen

Dispatcher Recalls 911 Call CPR

Gary Allen — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:55:14 +0000

]]>

Radio Confusion Led To Citizen Shooting

Gary Allen — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 22:02:22 +0000

Officials in Clark County (Wash.) say they are reviewing how dispatchers handled a neighborhood shooting incident and a subsequent multi-agency SWAT response that led to an innocent man being shot by officers who were confused by conflicting radio traffic. The county district attorney has already cleared the officers of any wrong-doing, but the injured man’s attorney says he’s planning legal action. Last month a county resident shot a neighbor over a long-running property dispute, and then fled into a nearby woods. Meanwhile, an area resident was enroute to his security guard job, noticed the suspect’s car parked in an out-of-the-way area, and stopped to investigate. He dialed 911 to report the car, but dispatchers neither warned him of the original shooting or the nearby police search for the suspect. They also didn’t ask for the caller’s description, or then warn SWAT officers in the area about the caller’s presence near the suspect’s car. As the search continued, officers spotted the man who dialed 911, believed it was the shooting suspect returning to his car, and opened fire. The caller was armed with a handgun and fired back, believing someone from a nearby overpass was shooting at him—he never heard police give any warnings. He was shot in the leg by the officers, and dialed 911 again to report he had been shot. Later in an ambulance, the caller heard officers say, “Is this the guy we shot?” Only then did he realize that police had shot him. The comm center investigation should be complete within a week, officials say. Read more about the incident here, and listen to 911 calls here.

911 Officials Urge Back-Up VoIP Power Rules

Gary Allen — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:50:38 +0000

A major 911 industry association has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging them to adopt rules that split the responsibility for providing back-up power for VoIP telephone service so subscribers still have a way to dial 9-1-1 when their electric service is interrupted. Last month the commission acknowledged that many households have switched from copper-wire telephones to IP-voice telephone service, usually in connection with how they obtain Internet service for their computers. The FCC also noted that many carriers are retiring copper wire service because of its high installation and maintenance costs, and limited flexibility for providing advanced services. Considering public safety, the FCC proposed rules that would require carriers to provide electrical power for their modems and associated gear that provides telephone service, to maintain 911 service during outages. In its comments, the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) suggested providing 24 hours of back-up power, instead of the eight hours proposed by the commission. The group also noted a distinction between those who have already switched to VoIP and those forced to change as copper is retired. “The former should already be aware of the limitations of their service,” NASNA said, “and should have taken personal responsibility for ensuring they have extra batteries or an alternative means of communication during a power outage. The latter group would have no alternative means of communication after the loss of copper, and the carrier should be responsible for initially providing a back-up power source, NASNA said. The group said back-up power should apply to “minimally essential communications,” including outgoing 911 voice calls and texts, incoming emergency alerts and warnings, and outgoing calls to 211 and other community services. Download (pdf) FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking here, and the group’s comments here.

NYC 911 Mismanagement, $700m Over Budget

Gary Allen — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 12:03:19 +0000

A report by New York City’s top management investigator has found the city’s 911 upgrade project has been seriously mismanaged, has passed $2 billion in costs and is not close to being completed. The project began in 2004, and last October the Department of Investigation (DOI) warned the project was out of control and $700 million over budget. The latest report is scathing in its criticism of almost every aspect of the project, including that managers misrepresented the project’s status to former mayor Michael Bloomberg and did not properly supervise outside constructors. A former Bloomberg aide criticized the report before its release, claiming the 911 upgrade was a “tremendous success,” and that the DOI report was neither “thorough” or “objective.” Among the criticism were that the project lacked vision and planning, was ill-defined, set unrealistic expectations, had inadequate staffing and had no central decision-making authority. Download (pdf) the entire 112-page report, and read an editorial calling the 911 project an example of “epic incompetence.”

No Training, Dispatcher Provides EMD

Gary Allen — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 21:54:57 +0000

A 911 dispatcher in Galax (Virg.) answered a scared mother’s prayers and helped save her child’s life by guiding the little boy’s family through CPR—even though the center doesn’t provide EMD instructions. Seventeen-month-old Aidan Walker had been under the weather and was taking a nap with his grandmother when he suddenly had a seizure and stopped breathing. Read more here.

Startling Suggestion—Just 3 PSAPs Nationwide?

Gary Allen — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 04:25:43 +0000

During a routine meeting of an obscure Federal Communications Commission (FCC) task force last week, one of the agency’s commissioners raised an amazing possibility—the nation’s 5,900 public safety answering points (PSAP) might be consolidated and reduced to just three. Whether that’s even physically or politically possible wasn’t explored by commissioner Michael O’Reilly, but it certainly raised the eyebrows of attendees at the Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point Architecture (TFOPA) meeting. As recounted by Urgent Communications, O’Reilly told the meeting “By some estimate, the current structure would be able to operate at optimal efficiency with as few as three [PSAPs] nationwide.” He didn’t explain if he meant physical or virtual PSAPs, the latter a possibility after the NG911 project is completed over the next 10 years. Watch the video of the entire 2 ½-hour meeting here.

Super Bowl Commercial Highlights 911 Call

Gary Allen — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 21:06:10 +0000

As part of the National Football League’s “No More” campaign against domestic violence, the league will run a 30-second commercial during this Sunday’s Super Bowl featuring a “trick” 911 call. In the commercial, a woman pretends to be ordering a pizza while talking to a 911 calltaker, presumably in order not to alert the person who she fears. Such incidents have actually occurred, and have been one element of the adoption of text-to-911 technology that is slowly rolling out across the United States.

Colorado dispatchers responded to the commercial, saying it hits “close to home.”

FCC Adopts Tighter Accuracy for 911 Calls

Gary Allen — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 20:45:45 +0000

After a year of non-stop lobbying, political rhetoric and committee work by public safety organization, today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved regulations that will increase the reported accuracy of 911 calls, particularly for calls made from indoors and above the ground. FCC said they gave “considerable weight” to the consensus agreement reached between the wireless carriers and APCO/NENA to “establish clear and measureable timelines for wireless providers to meet indoor location accuracy benchmarks, both for horizontal and vertical location information.” Acknowledging the technical hurdles of improved locations, the FCC said their requirements allow enable wireless providers to choose “the most effective solutions and allow sufficient time for development of applicable standards, establishment of testing mechanisms, and deployment of new location technology.” The Order takes into account an agreement reached last year between the four largest wireless carriers and two biggest public safety groups, and a later amendment, But it doesn’t meet the standards of the Find Me 911 coalition that was lobbying for even tighter accuracy rules. In a statement, FCC chair Tom Wheeler says the coalitions accuracy concerns were addressed and reassured, “We will have better data than ever before about carriers’ location accuracy performance, and we will hold them to account if they do not live up to their commitments.” Wheeler added, “Let there be no mistake—we are establishing a floor, not a ceiling. It is a beginning, not an end.” Update: On Feb. 4th the FCC posted the official Report & Order (pdf) outlining all of the new location regulations, which includes a timeline of how the new requirements were developed.

The Location Specifics

Under the new horizontal location rules, all carriers must provide a “dispatchable” location within 50 meters for the following percentages of wireless 911 calls, and within the following timeframes:

within 2 years: 40 percent of all wireless 911 calls
within 3 years: 50 percent of all wireless 911 calls
within 5 years: 70 percent of all wireless 911 calls
within 6 years: 80 percent of all wireless 911 calls

Under the new vertical location rules, all CMRS providers must also meet the following requirements

within 3 years: all carriers must make uncompensated barometric data available to PSAPs from any handset that has the capability to deliver barometric sensor data
within 3 years: nationwide carriers must use an independently administered and transparent test bed process to develop a proposed z-axis accuracy metric, and must submit the proposed metric to the Commission for approval
within 6 years: nationwide CMRS provides must deploy either (1) dispatchable location, or (2) z-axis technology that achieves the Commission-approved z-axis metric, in each of the top 25 Cellular Market Areas (CMAs)6:
- where dispatchable location is used: the National Emergency Address Database (NEAD) must be populated with a total number of dispatchable location reference points in the CMA equal to 25 percent of the CMA population.
- where z-axis technology is used: CMRS providers must deploy z-axis technology to cover 80 percent of the CMA population.
within 8 years: nationwide CMRS providers must deploy dispatchable location or z-axis technology in accordance with the above benchmarks in each of the top 50 CMAs.

The FCC also set a 30-second time limit on generating a location fix for Phase II calls, but not for indoor call requirements, and a 90 percent “confidence” level for indoor-outdoor calls.

Commissioner Statements

In a statement on the Order, FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn said he would have preferred to adopt the rules the FCC proposed in 2013 that had stronger accuracy requirements at the two and three-year benchmarks. Yet, he concurred with the rules that will eventually lead to a vertical location proposal from the carriers. Download (pdf) all of the FCC commissioner statements on the new rules.

The Find Me 911 Coalition, which has consistently opposed the carrier agreement, angrily called the FCC’s new accuracy rules “weak,” and dependent upon “hollow promises” by carriers. Here’s the coalition’s full statement:

“Unfortunately for millions of indoor 911 callers in need, the FCC has adopted the weak carrier roadmap over its own strong proposal. The Find Me 911 Coalition has been the strongest supporter of the Commission’s efforts to find wireless 911 callers indoors, but we have deep concerns that the final rule contains a catastrophic flaw, as it does not require the cell phone companies to measure or report indoor call accuracy.””While the rule claims to improve indoor accuracy, there appear to be no indoor-specific requirements in it, only a ‘blended’ indoor-outdoor standard that allows the carriers to take credit for their outdoor location performance. Thus, the phone companies can meet all of their obligations for years or longer without implementing any new technologies or finding any more indoor callers.””We know this entire issue is a problem of the carriers’ own making, yet this rule – drafted by the carriers themselves – depends on more hollow promises to solve it. Given the two-year requirements to find 40% of all callers, cell phone carriers are now admitting they cannot find at least 60% of all wireless 911 callers today, yet this rule rests on even more promises around a complicated new and untested system.””While we have not yet seen the text of the rule, we believe the rule as described is a triumph of carrier rhetoric over substantive accuracy requirements.”

The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) issued a statement that outlined the work that has led to the new regulations:

APCO is pleased to announce that today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted new rules to ensure that PSAPs and emergency responders have the information they need to find wireless 9-1-1 callers. Today’s action validates significant work by APCO and its partners to develop a “Roadmap for Improving E9-1-1 Location Accuracy” that focused on providing a dispatchable location and putting 9-1-1 solutions on pace with advances in commercial technology.

Over the course of the past several months, APCO has kept our members well informed on our progress. We outlined our goal of working on a consensus approach to secure meaningful, universal, verifiable, and enforceable improvements. We announced the details of the Roadmap negotiated with the four largest carriers and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) in response to the FCC’s invitation for alternative approaches. And in the face of relentless disinformation campaigns, we set the record straight and remained steadfast in pushing for the best solution for PSAPs and the citizens of our country.In our most recent membership communication, we highlighted the message of our public comments to the FCC that the Roadmap represents a qualitative improvement in indoor location by targeting the gold standard, a “dispatchable location” – meaning the civic address plus the floor, suite, apartment number, or other information needed to find the caller. In addition to championing a dispatchable location, APCO was adamant that any solution be technology-neutral and break public safety out of the cycle of reliance on imperfect, single-source or proprietary solutions to solve 9-1-1 problems.Leading up to today’s FCC action, APCO reached out extensively to numerous stakeholders in the public safety community, who indicated substantial support for a dispatchable location solution. At the same time, some understandably sought further assurances that a dispatchable location solution will be achieved. Thus, we asked the carriers to commit to additional measures that would strengthen the Roadmap, and the carriers agreed to build in even greater assurances related to both dispatchable location and z-axis solutions. Specifically, the carriers pledged to deploy, in the 50 most populous Cellular Market Areas (CMAs) representing the most indoor use cases, a significant number of dispatchable location reference points (i.e. Wi-Fi access points or Bluetooth LE beacons), or a z-axis solution that provides coverage to at least 80% of the population of the CMA.

Recognizing APCO’s expertise and leadership in public safety, numerous voices joined ours in support of the Roadmap’s approach to achieving a dispatchable location and moving public safety away from single-source proprietary solutions. The Order adopted today largely incorporates the Roadmap’s provisions. This success is a product of our advocacy with other stakeholders and FCC decision-makers.

“APCO is proud to have worked with the FCC, wireless carriers, and other stakeholders to set a path that embraces new technologies and – most importantly – provides meaningful location information to our nation’s public safety communications professionals and first responders as they protect the life and property of our citizens,” said APCO President John Wright. “Throughout our efforts, including in the face of pressure from vendors with a significant financial interest in proprietary proposals, APCO held true to its principles.”

President Wright continued, “I want to thank the FCC Commissioners, their staff, and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for taking a collaborative approach to solving this important public safety problem. I also want to thank APCO’s members for your support. The success of this effort is in no small part a credit to our professionalism, expertise, and reputation as public safety communications experts. Hard work lies ahead. APCO remains committed to ensuring that when someone calls 9-1-1 we can get them help immediately.”

While the text of the FCC’s order will be forthcoming, it will include the following critical features:

Performance benchmarks and deployment commitments for implementing dispatchable location solutions, z-axis solutions, and other location accuracy improvements.
Standards development for dispatchable location and z-axis solutions.
Creation of an open, transparent test bed for testing location technologies.
Development of the National Emergency Address Database, which will support dispatchable location solutions.
Availability of live 9-1-1 call data to enable tracking of the performance of indoor location technologies.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation issued a statement ahead of the FCC’s action, expressing concern about how the rules might affect citizen privacy, especially in light of a carrier proposal to create a national emergency address database.

Consultant: Respond Only to Life-and-Death Calls

Gary Allen — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:10:56 +0000

In the face of on-going staff shortages at the Flint (Mich.) police department, a consultant has recommended taking a drastic step—stop responding to any incident that isn’t a crime in progress or an immediate life-and-death emergency, and refer all other callers to the city’s Web site to make a report. The consultants also recommended moving police dispatching services to Genesee County’s comm center. The intent is to free up more patrol and investigative time to handle a rate of violent crimes higher than Detroit, and reduce a constant backlog of calls for service. At its core, the problem is caused by the department’s philosophy that “no call is considered too minor to warrant a response and no case is too small to warrant an investigation,” the consultant said. Discretionary patrol time per hour has increased from three minutes per hour in 2010 to 15 minutes in 2014 through various staffing changes. But the consultants say there are no more easy steps to improving that figure to 30 minutes per hour, the recommended level. Download (pdf) the consultant’s full report, including the comm center recommendations (p. 64).