Internet News-Resource Links

There are several ways to keep up-to-date on the world of public safety dispatching using the Internet, and naturally I think DISPATCH Magazine On-Line provides the best, all-around coverage. We offer:

• surf a Web site
• subscribe to an RSS feed [what's this?]   
• subscribe to an e-mail group

However, there are several other good sources of Internet information that help provide a complete round-up of public safety dispatching news. E-mail groups provide a very quick and wide-ranging method of asking questions, learning of new problems and trends, and sharing information in real time, without the need to visit a forum every day (see etiquette at the bottom of the page). The RSS feeds are another great way to find headlines and information without surfing scores of Web sites.

Here are some Internet resources focused on dispatching. Send me you other favorites. Note that some groups require your application to be approved before you'll receive e-mail from the group, while others are completely open discussions. Search Yahoo for other groups of interest.

The News Hound

You can receive a daily e-mail of headlines added to the DISPATCH Monthly Web site home page that day. Complete this sign-up form from the Feedburner service, using an e-mail address that has minimal spam checking (most government agencies block pretty strictly). You'll receive an e-mail message to confirm your sign up, leading to a link that you must click.

911LifeLine

This mailing list appeared in mid-2006 as a way to reinvigorate the original 911Console group, and has now grown rapidly to include a Web site and other features. It is actively moderated, and is filling up its file section with interesting reference information. Find info here. [10-15 messages a day, 1,385 members]

PSTC

The PSTC911 list supports students, customers and staff and other of the training company Public Safety Training Consultants. Topics will include new training, training trends and open posts regarding the 911 profession and training issues. Related public safety training may also be addressed here. [605 members, 1-3 messages per day]

NENA

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) hosts the "911 Talk" e-mail group for discussing 911-related issues, asking questions or providing answers. Join at NENA's Web site, where you'll find options for subscribing, unsubscribing, receiving a digest version, etc. NENA members are also included on a periodic e-mail newsletter.

Private Wireless Forum

The Private Wireless Forum focuses on privately-owned wireless radio systems, but it often overlaps into the public safety arena in the areas of technical operation and FCC regulation. The group is also an excellent source of news on wireless carriers and radio manufacturers. [1,002 members, 5-20 messages per day]

FCC Narrow-banding Mandate

In 1992 the FCC began a program to narrow the channels used in the frequency band below 512 MHz, including many public safety users. The requirement set certain dates for compliance, and the next one is January 1, 2013 for all agencies to be using 12.5 KHz channels. This Yahoo group (LMR Narrowbanding) focuses on the FCC's requirements and how agencies may comply by the final date. [120 members, 1-2 messages per day]

Digital Scanning

Digital Scanning explores topics related to monitoring digital wireless radio systems, including public safety systems. [3,360 members, 1-2 messages per day]

Arizona Scanner

Arizona Scanner explores monitoring public safety and other systems in Arizona. [1,475 members, 3-4 messages per day]

The 911Console

Founded in 2000 by dispatcher Ken Handfield, Jr., it migrated from a private server to the Yahoo Groups to become very popular. However, starting around 2005 it has not been actively moderated or fulfilled its full potential. Even so, the participants have kept it going. You can sign up here. [1,754 subscribers]

APCO

FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sends an e-mail message each weekday of its official activities, linked back to original documents for vewing or download. You can subscribe and view past digests by surfing to the FCC Daily Digest page. [1 message per weekday]

Project 25 - Digital Radio List

National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC)

Emergency Dispatch Ohio

This group focuses on dispatch-related matters within the state, including incidents and training. [102 members, 5-10 messages a day]

Pennsylvania 800 MHz

The Pennsylvania state-wide 800 MHz trunked radio system has been controversial, and there's a Yahoo group devoted entirely to discussing it. [189 members, 1-2 messages a day]

KMA 367 LAPD

This group has more history than anything we've seen! It describes itself as "a meeting place for members of LAPD's Communications Division both past and present (especially the "old gang") The list can be used to post e-mail addresses, announcements (e.g., marriages, divorces, births, retirements, etc.), gossip, discussions of the "good old days" or whatever else comes to mind. The goal of this list is for all of us to find one another and stay in touch, after all we are family." [186 subscribers, 1-2 messages per day]

Transportation Communications

The transportation industry is becoming more an ally of public safety, including communications. The best e-mail newsletter we've found is hosted by Bernie Wagenblast, and covers ITS, cellular, satellite, GPS and anything else pertaining to communications related to the transporation industry. Many of his daily reports overlap into public safety communications. [5,614 subscribers, 1 message each weekday]

Wireless AMBER Alerts

Several private and government groups, along with wireless phone providers, have teamed to provide AMBER Alert notifications to any device that can receive text messages, including cellular phones and PDAs. Sign up here to receive alerts generated in your region.

Emergency Email & Wireless Network

This private Web site has lots of links, but also provides text notification of emergency incidents within your region. Surf here to sign up for one or more notifications.

Alert DC

The Washington (DC) region has a well-developed emergency alerting network that will send you notifications. Check here for sign-up.

800 MHz Transition

The Transition Administrator for the FCC's mandated retuning of the 800 MHz band has a news notification service that will alert you to via e-mail. Sign up here.

FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's has an e-mail alert feature that requires only an e-mail address to sign up. You can pick what category of information you want (e-mail scams, Most Wanted, etc.) and select by field office. When new information is posted on-line for that category, you'll receive an alert via e-mail. Sign up here, and look for the red envelope icon that indicates an alert is available for that category. The FBI also has RSS links available.

Mailing List Etiquette

Mailing list groups are an e-mail method of distributing information to a large group of participants. Unlike a Web site, e-mail arrives in your mail box--you don't have to go hunting for the latest information. To begin receiving information, you send an e-mail message to the host computer that you want to "subscribe." You can un-join the e-mail list by sending the host computer a message that you want to "unsubscribe."

Once you're subscribed, messages will begin landing in your e-mail in-box automatically. You may also be able to send messages to list participants, by sending a single e-mail message to the host computer, which then redistributes the message to the members of the list. You should realize that e-mail messages to subscribe or unsubscribe are sent to one e-mail address, and messages intended for all the participants are sent to a second e-mail address.

Some mail lists have a Web browser interface--you can go to a special Web site and retrieve current messages or view past messages, configure your preferences (deliver separate messages or a single daily digest), or temporarily suspend delivery while you're on vacation. Most lists, however, simply rely on your e-mail program for operation.

By the way, the News Hound mailing list is an outgoing mailing list only--- subscribers cannot send e-mail to the list participants. Most of these lists also allow subscribers to receive a "digest" version of the list--that is, once a day you receive one e-mail containing all of the messages processed during the day. This option keeps your e-mail count down, but at the expense of receiving one very large file.

Mailing lists commonly have a large number of subscribers, but a smaller number of active participants---the remaining subscribers are "lurkers" who read messages and only frequently send e-mail messages. Don't feel bad if you just read and don't pipe up with your own viewpoints. Eventually you'll read a topic that presses one of your buttons and you'll contribute something.

These lists have a life and personality of their own. While the dispatch-related lists are quite civil and polite, the technical nature of the lists allows anyone to say anything. And since there is no opportunity to see the facial expression of the sender---except with those little :) things---it's easy to misunderstand some e-mails that try to be sarcastic, humorous or non-literal. Lastly, remember that once you send a message, it's "out there." Your co-workers, family, friends, boss, tax auditor and others can read it, and it could be printed out and distributed far beyond the Internet. You truly are responsible for your words, even though you can't see the person who is reading them.

Mailing list etiquette / Smiley-Emoticon Lists

Note: DISPATCH Monthly Magazine subscribes to these several of the above e-mail discussion lists and receives e-mail messages posted to all subscribers. Our policy is not to publish any e-mail posting without the permission of the list owner and the writer of the original e-mail message.