Florida § 365.179 - Direct radio communication between 911 public safety answering points and first responders.

§ 365.179. Direct radio communication between 911 public safety answering points and first responders.

(1) As used in this section, the term: (a) “First responder agency” includes each law enforcement agency and fire service agency, other than a state agency, and each emergency medical services provider, that is designated as a primary first responder for the service area in which a 911 public safety answering point receives 911 calls. (b) “911 public safety answering point” or “PSAP” means a municipal or county emergency communications or 911 call center in this state that receives cellular, landline, or text-to-911 communications. (2) Each sheriff, in collaboration with all first responder agency heads in his or her county, shall facilitate the development and execution of written interlocal agreements between all primary first responder agencies within the county. Each agreement must establish written protocols that outline circumstances and public safety emergencies under which a PSAP will directly provide notice by radio of an emergency to the on-duty personnel of a first responder agency for which the PSAP does not provide primary dispatch functions. Each agreement must require the PSAP to have direct radio contact with primary first responder agencies and their dispatchers, for whom the PSAP can reasonably receive 911 communications, without having to transfer a 911 communication to another PSAP or dispatch center for dispatch. The method of complying with this requirement shall be established by the first responder agency heads and set forth in each interlocal agreement. (3) Each PSAP must be capable of immediately broadcasting 911 communications or public safety information over the primary radio dispatch channels of each first responder agency in the county it serves, except in those first responders service areas where the PSAP cannot reasonably receive 911 calls. If a county or jurisdiction has multiple PSAPs, each PSAP must have this capability. (4) Unless technologically precluded due to radio incompatibility, upon written request from a law enforcement agency head, a law enforcement agency head in the same county or in an adjacent jurisdiction in another county must authorize the requesting agency to install the responding agency’s primary dispatch channel or channels in the requesting agency’s PSAP, dispatch center, or mobile or portable radios. (5) Each primary first responder agency, PSAP, and dispatch center within each county shall train all applicable personnel regarding the procedures and protocols specified in the interlocal agreements made pursuant to this section. This training shall also include radio functionality and how to readily access the necessary dispatch channels in accordance with the interlocal agreements.