Industry Insights
New Initiative Aims to Expand Crime Prevention Programs in Police, Court System
The Just Trust has launched a $4 million effort to expand bold approaches to community safety and accountability. The Safer Communities Accelerator has made a commitment to eight organizations that are championing pre-arrest and pre-trial models.
Yeast Material Developed to Train First Responders on Biothreats
Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a referenced material based on yeast cells for use in simulated scenarios.
Arlington, VA Adopts RapidDeploy Radius Mapping to Improve 911 Outcomes
The county has selected Radius Mapping as its 911 map to better locate residents and visitors in the area. In addition to quickly locating people calling into 911, Radius Mapping adds the ability to text with language translation for non-native English speakers.
Alabama Trains Fire Recruits to Prepare for Mental Health Emergencies
With funding from the Alabama Department of Mental Health and support from the Professional Fire Fighters of Alabama and the Alabama Fire College, Alabama will be one of the first states to include the training in its fire recruit school training.
Free Updated Training Guide Helps Volunteer Firefighters be ‘Combat Ready’
The National Volunteer Fire Council, International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS), and International Society of Fire Service Instructors have jointly released the new training guide.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD Transforms a Year After ‘CMPD Serves’ Launch
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department of North Carolina has developed a customer service training program and curriculum called CMPD Serves. CMPD’s customer satisfaction score jumped from 43 percent to 84 percent after launching the program in 2021.
Future Benefits of AR/VR for First Responders: Five Questions for Dr. Andrew Phelps
Director of the Game Center at American University, Dr. Phelps is a highly respected researcher who works at the cutting edge of virtual and augmented reality technology.
IAFF and Metro Chiefs Warn that Firefighter Turnout Gear Poses Cancer Risk
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs) have released a joint statement warning members that firefighter turnout gear poses potentially grave health risks.
Albany County Sheriff’s Office Announces New 911 Telehealth Partnership with UCM Digital Health
With this program, 911 patients who do not require treatment in the hospital or ER setting can instead access a virtual consultation with a licensed physician who will then treat and triage the presenting medical issues.
Researchers Developing an AI Tool that Could Save Firefighters’ Lives
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and other institutions have developed a new tool to predict flashovers up to 30 seconds before they erupt.
IAFC DE&I Report: The U.S. Volunteer Fire Service ‘Must Address the Realities with Which it is Faced’
Funded by a FEMA SAFER grant, the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ recent study report on diversity, equity, and inclusion seeks to help address the critical shortage of volunteers in the fire-rescue service.
Three in Four Voters Favor Funding for Mental Health Professionals – Not Police – to Respond to Mental Health-related 911 Calls
In a public consultation survey of 2,607 registered voters conducted by the University of Maryland, respondents went through an online “policymaking simulation” designed to put citizens in the shoes of policymakers.