The Mission-Critical Resource Center

On-Demand Webinar: Strategic Planning for Public Safety Agencies

In today’s evolving emergency communications environment, public safety agencies are often expected to do more with fewer resources–smaller budgets and fewer people. This reality means that strategic planning, and determining how best to leverage the available resources, is more crucial than ever before. In this webinar, MCP subject-matter experts Chris Kelly and Bonnie Maney discuss the benefits of strategic planning for public safety agencies and different approaches to development.

On-Demand Webinar: How to Prepare for Florida House Bill 441

On July 1, new legislation went into effect in the state of Florida that has major implications for public safety agencies. The legislation — HB 441 — introduces stringent requirements for public safety answering points (PSAPs) relating to radio and E911 communications.

Memphis Police and 911 Communications Enjoys a Rebirth with MCP's Support

In Summary: 

• Memphis Police and 911 Communications was challenged by aging infrastructure, antiquated systems and an understaffed 911 center.
• To help overcome these challenges, the Shelby County 911 District completed two 911 center staffing studies, built a new state-of-the-art 911 center, and an upgraded computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system.
• Today, the situation in Memphis has taken a 180-degree turn. The District has decreased their average time to answer a call from 90 seconds to 6 seconds.

On-Demand Webinar: FirstNet Preparation Strategies

Are you ready for the delivery of your state's deployment plan of FirstNet?  

Listen to this virtual webinar to hear experts from MCP provide insights and guidance regardless of your status in the preparation for FirstNet. This is a can't miss session that will help you build your organization's FirstNet strategy. This session is designed for public safety leaders and FirstNet state single points of contacts.

In this webinar we will discuss:

• The state plan template from the FirstNet RFP and discuss the most releveant areas states should focus on
• The ideal team players from the state that should be involved in the evaluation process
• What you can expect from FirstNet in the coming months and how to respond

Infographic: Benefits of Working With a Public Safety Consulting Firm

From migrating to a new facility, acquiring forward-looking, mission-critical technology to integrating data originating from modern, digital-based devices, Mission Critical Partners is helping public safety organizations feel peace of mind and realize greater success during complex initiatives. Learn more about the benefits of working with a consultant in our infographic below.

Infographic: Tips for Evaluating Vendor Proposals

Evaluation of proposals and award of a project are not the last steps of the request for proposals process, but they are some of the most important. This infographic outlines tips to keep in mind as you prepare for evaluation and throughout the evaluation process.

10 Factors Every PSAP Needs to Consider When it Comes to Staffing the Next Generation Workforce

The Next Generation Workforce: 10 Factors Every PSAP Needs to Consider

There is a lot of change happening in 911 centers today, particularly as it relates to staffing and preparing for the modern public safety communications capabilities that come with text-to-911, Next Generation 911 (NG911) systems, and the availability of enhanced data. This quick read discusses the ten factors that every PSAP needs to consider when it comes to preparing for this transformation.

National Capital Region CAD2CAD Assessment

In Summary:

• A CAD2CAD initiative within the National Capital Region (NCR) had been successful in reducing response times, a lack of governance structure and no rules or regulations regarding growth kept the model from being sustainable long term.
• MCP helped the participating agencies lay out a detailed plan for the program's future.
• Today, the CAD2CAD program sees continued success following MCP's recommendations.

Overview and Agency Challenge

Participants in the National Capital Region CAD2CAD initiative include the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which consists of Dulles International Airport, Reagan National Airport and the Dulles Toll Road. They looked to expand the CAD2CAD initiative and establish a clear vision and governance structure, as well as determine how to make the model sustainable long-term.

The Evolution of the Emergency Communications Ecosystem

In Summary:

• Emergency communications centers are not much different from what they were when they first appeared on the scene a half century ago.

• PSAPs need to jettison the legacy analog call-handling equipment that has existed for the last 50 years, and replace it with new equipment capable of processing calls and data that originates from digital devices.

• The evolution of the emergency communications ecosystem will result in PSAPs and telecommunicators that will look and behave very differently than they do today. 

The public safety sector and emergency communications has reached an inflection point. Technology has evolved dramatically, and the needs and expectations of the public served by PSAPs have evolved as well. Data has overtaken voice in terms of importance. As a result, PSAPs need systems that are capable of leveraging the enormous amount of data is that already available, yet inaccessible today. Legacy call-handling equipment equipment that has existed for the last 50 years needs to be replaced with new equipment capable of processing calls and data originating from digital, Internet-Protocol (IP)-based devices.

Workforce Optimization: A Smarter Solution to Resolving 911's Staffing Struggle

In Summary:

• Staffing struggles have plagued public safety communications for years, and the situation is worsening because of favorable economic conditions that bring an abundance of less-stressful, better paying jobs.

• Workforce optimization is the concept of taking a more holistic approach to staffing that places equal emphasis on recruitment, hiring, training, and retention.

• The profile of the ideal telecommunicator is evolving. The next generation telecommunicator will process different skills than they do today.

Several years ago, the National 911 Program released the Recommended Minimum Training Guidelines for the 911 Telecommunicator. The document was intended to ensure that a more consistent standard of care was provided by 911 call-takers and dispatchers to callers requesting emergency services, regardless of their location at the time of the call. A corollary benefit of the guidelines is that they might help reduce the amount of personnel churn that emergency communications centers (ECCs) experience.

MCP Helps Florida PSAP Resolve a 911 Staffing Struggle

In Summary:

• The PSAP operated by the Fort Myers Police Department in Florida was dealing with a significant staffing shortage.
• The organization turned to MCP to assess the situation and make actionable recommendations to resolve the issues.
• Today, for the first time in a decade, all call-taker and dispatcher positions are filled with fully-trained personnel.

Overview and Agency Challenge

These are challenging times for public safety answering points (PSAPs). Many are dealing with funding shortfalls, others are wondering where they will find the money to implement Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology. Given this, it should come as no surprise that the PSAP operated by the Fort Myers Police Department in Florida has been dealing with a significant staffing shortage of its own. The PSAP operated by the police department in Fort Myers handles more than 200,000 emergency calls annually. Low employee morale and a high staff turnover rate were impacting the PSAP’s performance significantly and compounding existing 911 staffing issues. Other challenges they face included:

On-Demand Webinar: The Top Strategic Public Safety Trends for 2019

There are several significant, disruptive technology and operations trends that Mission Critical Partners feels will set the stage for the future of public safety over the next three to five years. Public safety agencies must understand these trends, begin preparing for them now, and understand how to adjust their operations in order to adapt. They are trends that cannot afford to ignored.