A new law passed in March defines Colorado's emergency communications specialists as first responders. Boulder dispatchers applauded the change, which comes after years of lobbying to recognize dispatchers' work in handling medical emergencies.

Alabama's Homeland Security Task Force heard recently about cybersecurity threats to schools, including swatting calls, phishing emails and ransomware attacks. The threats and attacks are occurring all over the state, not just in large cities, said Rachel Salter, an intelligence analyst with the Alabama Fusion Center.

An RV donated by a fire department chief has been turned into a mobile hygiene unit by two dozen firefighters for Cleveland, Ohio's Homeless Hookup. The nonprofit offers free food, hot showers, haircuts, clothes and toiletries from the mobile hygiene unit, which also serves as a 2-1-1 triage for homelessness emergencies.

Kansas City, Mo., is struggling to improve 9-1-1 response times, but an auto-attendant system to direct calls is on hold out of concern that it could overwhelm the fire department. The fire department is asking the city for a larger dispatch center and more call-takers.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation to protect first responders from exposure to fentanyl. However, Dr. Jose Cabanas, president of the National Association of EMS Physicians, said the actual risk of exposure to fentanyl is low and the new law could discourage people from reporting an overdose.

Elk Grove, Calif., city officials have approved spending $2.1 million to buy a drone system for first responders. Once operational, the system can quickly respond to traffic accidents, assaults, thefts, robberies, and missing and suspicious persons.