In 2021, Zetron surveyed emergency communications professionals during major public safety communications events in North America, including the NENA and APCO annual conferences, then used the response data to publish predictions for 2022 public safety answering point (PSAP) wellness trends.
Over the years, air travel has experienced considerable fluctuations in growth, most recently with the global pandemic. In 2022, air travel in the United States was up 55%, to 917 million passengers. Which is lower than in 2019, but the numbers are increasing on a yearly basis with air travel numbers projected to meet or exceed pre-pandemic levels in the next year or two. Airports worldwide are experiencing a similar rebound of passengers traveling more, making airport security and communications an even greater mission-critical safety component.
As the number of emergency calls involving mental health issues continues to rise, we often hear reports of mental health situations getting out of hand, and sometimes ending with tragic results. Additionally, it’s important for first responders dealing with these and other emergency situations to take care of their personal mental health. With all of this in mind, Zetron published an eBook that explores these topics.
In this edition we had the pleasure of talking with Lacey Greaney who is the Communication Infrastructure Manager at Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. She talks about her current role and responsibilities, as well as sharing an incredible story from when she was a dispatcher. During Hurricane Laura in 2020, their emergency call center had to deal with some harrowing circumstances while handling calls. This included the hurricane destroying their space while everyone was sick with COVID-19.
For this edition of Day in the Life, we had the pleasure of connecting with Katrina Shamshak and Robert Norton of North Shore Regional 9-1-1. After encountering some heartfelt submissions about telecommunicators and their centers during our Golden Headset Awards for National Public Safety Communicators Week, we found ourselves interested in hearing more about their agency and what they do.
No matter the mission of your organization, success likely depends on the people performing critical operational communications. And because your agency doesn’t operate in a vacuum, it’s never a good idea to make decisions in one either. Simply put, whether you’re updating your communications equipment, integrating a new records management system, or test driving the latest asset tracking platform, you should always incorporate end user feedback in your evaluation and purchase plans.
In this video installment of Day in the Life, we were able to talk with Snohomish County Sheriff, Adam Fortney, and Deputy Sheriff, Joshua Holmes.
Given the number of two-way radio options on the market, it’s no surprise many vendors are working to develop comprehensive, all-encompassing emergency communications solutions. And while the prospect of having one provider supply all of your agency’s telephony, radio, and data collection technology might sound like a great idea, it’s imperative to understand how this choice will impact your agency in the long run.
We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Downie, College Instructor at Camosun College in Victoria British Columbia. Before Bob was an instructor for post-secondary students, he spent the majority of his career as a police officer in the Saanich Police Department in Saanich British Columbia.
Many hazards are associated with first responders, but the risk of compassion fatigue is often overlooked or minimized. Merriam-Webster defines compassion fatigue as “the physical and mental exhaustion and emotional withdrawal experienced by those who care for sick or traumatized people over an extended period of time.”
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