Sending text messages to 9-1-1 is something few PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) are ready to receive. The ability is in the works, however, and the FCC is working with carriers and 9-1-1 centers to roll out the service beginning this year. If you attempt to send a text message to a 9-1-1 center that is not capable of receiving it, after June 30, 2013 you will get a “bounce back” message telling you to use other means to reach 9-1-1. Prior to June 30, you will receive no notice that your message did not go through. Equipment upgrades and policy decisions must still be implemented in most PSAPs before they will be able to respond to text based 9-1-1 calls. If you intend to use text messages as a way to contact 9-1-1, you should check with your local PSAP to find out when they will be able to receive and act on your message. Until then, use voice, TTY, or relay services to reach 9-1-1.
Texting to 9-1-1 is just around the corner
January 23, 2013
9-1-1, News 9-1-1, 911, PSAP, text to 911, text-to-9-1-1, texting 1 Comment
Soviet Geek: The Space Shuttle Buran
January 18, 2013
geek Buran, russian space shuttle, Soviet space program, Space Shuttle Buran Leave a comment
Buran: The forgotten space shuttle.
The Buran spacecraft was a Soviet orbital vehicle analogous in function and design to the US Space Shuttle and developed by Chief Designer Gleb Lozino-Lozinskiy of RKK Energia. Buran completed one unmanned spaceflight in 1988 and remains the only Soviet space shuttle launched into space, as the Buran programme was cancelled in 1993. The shuttle Buran was destroyed in 2002 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome when the hangar in which it was stored collapsed.
Information from NASA Facebook post.
The Buran (means ‘blizzard’) fell victim to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. It’s one and only flight was unmanned, and flew completely remotely controlled, from lift-off to landing.
It affects each of us differently, at times
January 13, 2013
9-1-1, Humor 9-1-1 calls, emt, funny 9-1-1 calls, post orgasmic illness syndrome Leave a comment
A Twitter commentary by an EMT. Just another day at the office! Read from the bottom up.
She sells sea shells down by the seashore…
January 7, 2013
9-1-1, commentary, Humor, Personal bumbling, stumbling over words, tongue tied, word salad Leave a comment
Sometimes things look just fine in the brain, but by the time they get to the lips, there’s just no telling what may come out…
Sunday’s fumbly-mumbly radio traffic.
The future just keeps getting better, one Tweet at a time!
January 5, 2013
commentary, geek, Personal @Cmd_Hadfield, @WilliamShatner, @WilW, ISS, NASA, Tweets from space, Wil Wheaton tweets Leave a comment
So you think an actor would be all cool about something like this… you know, talking to someone famous. Yeah, sometimes not so much!
And of course, being the Star Trek/NASA/Space Cadet I am, I had to jump in, even if none of them see or notice my Tweet!
If any of them respond, you’ll probably hear the squee from anywhere on the planet or in nearby space.
Update: Scrolling through the Commander’s Twitter feed, I came upon this gem:
I took a lot of grief when I was young about my fascination (to coin a phrase!) with Star Trek. My, how times change!
Like I said… I love living in the future!
January 4, 2013
geek, Humor Captain Kirk, Commander Chris Hadfield, international space station, ISS, living in the future, star trek, William Shatner tweets Leave a comment
My very first Oyster. San Francisco, December, 2012
January 3, 2013
9-1-1, commentary, geek, Personal firsts, half shell, oysters, oysters as an aphrodisiac, Pier 23, San Francisco Leave a comment
Wednesday night, December 19, 2012. Dinner at Pier 23, San Francisco, after a day of dispatcher training class in Pittsburg. My very first experience with oysters on the half shell. As I said in the video, it’s highly overrated! Must be one of those “do it because everyone else does” things. Or maybe it just takes more of them to break through my already impressive stoic-ness. 😉 Oh, and if they’re supposed to be an aphrodisiac, it apparently takes more than just one. (thank goodness, since I just went back to the hotel room… alone)
JimmieJoe 
Smart, AND crazy! (but in a good way!)
January 21, 2013
Jim Reeves commentary, geek, Humor Albert on crazy, dumb, Einstein, human intelligence, smart Leave a comment
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