The emergency number field is diverse and offers a lot of opportunities to those who find their calling in it, but how does someone become a 911 dispatcher or call taker? At the end of January, the NCT911 training program launched its first ever virtual/in-person hybrid Regional Telecommunicator Academy, which trains brand new 911 dispatchers […]
How to become a 911 dispatcher Read More »
Ask any 911 call taker the one thing they wish their citizens understood and you’ll get a few similar answers: they don’t always have your exact location, answering their questions doesn’t slow down the response, and never hang up on them. Even if you accidently dial 911! The reason why you shouldn’t hang up is
I Called 911 on Accident! Should I Hang Up? Read More »
9-1-1 is there to help during an emergency, but there are plenty of emergency apps, tools, and accessories that can help your local agency. Of course, the best way to reach 9-1-1 is still a voice call (followed by a text message if it’s available in your area), but using one of these resources can
Emergency Apps and Other Tools You Can Use to Help 9-1-1 Help You Read More »
Dublin, TX, October 28, 2020 – Today the Dublin Police Department closed its Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and will no longer answer 9-1-1 calls or dispatch responses. 9-1-1 calls made by citizens of Dublin will now be answered by the Erath County Sheriff’s Office located in Stephenville, Texas. The Dublin Police Department was a
Press Release: Dublin Police Department No Longer Answering 9-1-1 Calls Read More »
A lot of things have changed in 2020 and though we never thought we’d go into Halloween concerned about masks (at least, not the kind of masks we usually associate with Halloween!) and social distancing, we’ve found ourselves wondering how to stay safe this Halloween. Luckily, most of the precautionary measures we’re already taking can
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Arlington, TX, October 8, 2020 — The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1) has seen an increase in citizen requests to connect their home address to their cell phone number after the coronavirus pandemic forced households indoors. 9-1-1 technology does not allow for this solution and it would put callers at risk by preventing
In 2018, President Trump signed the national Suicide Hotline Improvement Act into law. The purpose of the act was to research and identify if the creation of a 3-digit number for the National Suicidal Prevention Lifeline would be worth the time, effort, and cost. In August of 2019, the FCC released their findings in a
What Does a 3-Digit Number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Mean for 911? Read More »
Every 9-1-1 telecommunicator knows that communication is an important part of any crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has made that clearer than ever, especially when considering the number of rumors and false reports circulating the web. How does an agency ensure it is delivering concise, accurate, and timely information to its relevant audiences? It’s important to
5 Questions To Ask When Building a Crisis Communications Plan for Your Agency Read More »
Arlington, TX, June 22, 2020 – The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District launched its “Safe to Save Your Life Campaign” this week in response to the community’s hesitation to dial 9-1-1 during a medical emergency. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, citizens who are experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies such as a heart attack or stroke won’t
We get a lot of questions about how much 911 costs and where the financing comes from. Do citizens pay for 911? Do taxes? How do officials determine how much goes toward an emergency number program when they also have to consider other aspects of public safety? We wanted to clear some things up on
How Much Does 911 Cost? Read More »
