NG911: The Future of 9-1-1 Communications

Posted by Lisa MacGillivray on Monday, August 17, 2015

The future of 9-1-1 communications is changing. The things that worked in the past have been sufficient but thanks to innovation and technology, there are now new opportunities to enhance the dynamic between the person reporting a public safety incident and the responder mediating the conversation. Cell phones and wireless connectivity are shaping up to be great contributors to the next generation of 9-1-1 operations.

While it may not be extremely evident yet, the incorporation of these new technologies in 9-1-1 responding has been evolving as peoples’ wireless usage changes. Next Generation 911 (NG911), will be a primary contributor to the new landscape of emergency reporting and response. Next Generation 9-1-1 pushes for the incorporation of wireless communication solutions to enhance public safety operations.

Tags: Public Safety Communications, Next Generation Public Safety, Safety Solutions

How GPS Enhances 9-1-1 Communications

Posted by Lisa MacGillivray on Monday, July 20, 2015

As children, we were taught to call 9-1-1 whenever there is an emergency nearby. It is something that has been ingrained in us. We call them first for a reason: we expect them to help us, and help us quickly. But what if the police officer, firefighter or EMT paramedic was unable to respond to your crisis because they didn’t know how to get to your location? Thanks to GPS, we don't need to worry about that anymore.

GPS (global positioning system) has taken the guesswork out of navigation and made directions immediately accessible. The accuracy of the system has made GPS an asset to military, stock market users and emergency responders. The atomic clock’s ability to be within a millisecond can provide this industry with the precision to make calculated decisions with confidence.

Tags: Public Safety Communications, Safety Solutions, GPS

Using Radio Communication to Create Safer Campuses

Posted by Lisa MacGillivray on Friday, July 17, 2015

Students heading off to college in the fall expect to be safe as they settle into their dorms and navigate their way through new campuses. With that expectation comes a need for colleges and universities to continually improve tactics for campus communucation, security and emergency response to ensure students remain safe during day-to-day activities, sporting events, and other school functions.

Tags: Two Way Radios, MOTOTRBO, Education, Safety Solutions, Digital Two-Way Radios

Checklist to Avoid Weather Disasters at Events

Posted by Lisa MacGillivray on Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Planning any outdoor event requires great teamwork. Someone needs to make sure the petit fours are delivered on time, but most importantly, someone has to know what Mother Nature might bring and how often will she change her mind. Making a "weather team" part of the planning crew will make your event much safer and more successful for all involved.

Tags: Chicago Communications, Rental Equipment, Safety Solutions

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Friday, March 21, 2014

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication, hospitality, and public safety world!

1) Public Safety Grants: The Assistance to Firefighters Grant deadline is TODAY! Be sure to check out the FEMA website if you haven’t already. If you’ve ran out of time for this grant, don’t worry. There’s a few more with deadlines that are soon approaching. Be sure to check out these Federal Grant Opportunities to see if you qualify!

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Wireless Communication, Next Generation Public Safety, Grant Funding, Safety Solutions, FCC

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week 3/14/14

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Friday, March 14, 2014

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

1) Drones- Although the majority of the public fears the use of drones and their own privacy, firefighters are actually encouraging the use of these robots. They say the drones can help spot and view fires before the firefighters even get to the blaze, allowing for more adequate relief. Right now, officers can only see the fire when it’s right in front of them. These drones would consist of a camera strapped to an aviation unit, to help firefighters identify the blaze. Fireflight owner, Jerry Stuckey said, "The way I see it, it's technology, and technology that can save lives and property." Read more on the implementation of drones to help firefighters here.

Tags: Motorola Solutions, Wireless Communication, Next Generation Public Safety, Safety Solutions

Change is Inevitable…Even for Public Safety

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Monday, March 3, 2014

The advancement of technology comes with major overhauls in terms of how we communicate and learn, what keeps us safe, and how things are made. One of the biggest technological advances within the past decade is something we all probably see on a daily basis on our commute: Public Safety vehicles.

We’ve transitioned from a single light on the hood of the car, to the multiple individual lights, to a light bar, and now LED lighting. Some of these advances you might not have ever encountered, such as communication equipment and computer technology equipped within the vehicle.

These technology changes not only required police officers to learn to operate new equipment, but have also posed a challenge for the installers of said equipment.

Mike Falls, installation coordinator here at Chicago Communications, has noted the difference in how equipment has to be installed in today’s public safety vehicles, as opposed to those from nearly a decade ago. What’s the biggest change? How the vehicle is put together, thus is changing how installers have to take it apart to install radio equipment, computer systems, and light fixtures in the car.

Tags: Chicago Communications, Public Safety Communications, Safety Solutions, Video Surveillance

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week 2/28/14

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Friday, February 28, 2014

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

1) Google Glass & Public Safety- Google Glass is a wearable technology (like a pair of glasses) with a head mounted display that would relay information to the officer’s line of sight, replicating a computer monitor. This would reduce the time an officer spends on having to radio in information, while waiting to obtain an answer. NYPD seems to be the first one to test this new technology, and you can read about it on PublicCEO.

Tags: Chicago Communications, Public Safety Communications, Next Generation Public Safety, Safety Solutions, GPS

5 Wireless Security measures for Super Bowl XLVIII

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Friday, January 31, 2014

Not sure if you want to put down the thousands of dollars for a nosebleed ticket or bear the unseasonably cold weather this Sunday? For most of us, we’ll spend our Super Bowl in front of the television with plenty of food, drinks, and friends to forget the nostalgia of being on the East Coast in person. Don’t forget the copious amounts of awesome commercials.

But for those braving the cold or taking out a second mortgage to finance such a ticket, there are some new and some traditional safety measures this year to keep you safe. All the way from pregame to leaving the stadium, public safety officers are in line to make sure everything runs as smooth as possible. Check out these wireless safety measures that will pop up at the 2014 Super Bowl.

Tags: Chicago Communications, Wireless Communication, Safety Solutions

Keep Your Communication Equipment Working like a Well Oiled Machine

Posted by Kendra Newlon on Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Well 2013 is finally over. For some of you it was a good year, for the radio business it was a slow year. Coming off of the FCC’s Narrowbanding Mandate and all the radios sold in 2012 made us really look at our business and determine to focus on Service! Many of the police and fire departments are in limbo this year as Grants and Funding have not been as plentiful in the past years. In addition, with the FCC putting a freeze on the 470Mhz band, many police departments are sitting on their hands waiting for a direction from the FCC; that means slow radio sales.

The good news for some of you is that you are keeping your radios an extra year or two (maybe three). Your budgets are being spent on maintaining your existing equipment, whether a service contract for a 24 hour response or just routine maintenance. It is prolonging the inevitable. Technology is changing, but service teams, like Chicago Communications, are equipped with the latest in technology to meet whatever challenge is thrown towards us. From basic analog radio systems to the most advanced P25 Public Safety systems we can monitor and respond to service outages in any required timeframe you need. We can consult on your equipment with our contracts department to see whether it makes sense to put your equipment on a contract or actively seek replacement because of age or parts issues.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Public Safety Communications, Wireless Communication, Radio System, Tech Talk, Safety Solutions, FCC, Maintenance/Installation/Service

Chicomm Blog

NG911: The Future of 9-1-1 Communications

How GPS Enhances 9-1-1 Communications

Using Radio Communication to Create Safer Campuses

Checklist to Avoid Weather Disasters at Events

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication, hospitality, and public safety world!

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week 3/14/14

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

Change is Inevitable…Even for Public Safety

5 Wireless Communication Topics You Should Know This Week 2/28/14

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

5 Wireless Security measures for Super Bowl XLVIII

Keep Your Communication Equipment Working like a Well Oiled Machine

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Chicomm Blog

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication, hospitality, and public safety world!

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

We thought we’d round up some of the top highlights this week in the Communication world and give them to you in one place. Check out some buzz worthy stories happening in the wireless communication and public safety world!

Browse by Tag

Latest Posts

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