By Jeff Cohen
Every year, APCO’s Government Relations Office curates the Cutting Edge Developments track for APCO’s Annual Conference and Expo. This track provides attendees with opportunities to learn about a variety of issues and technologies that impact public safety communications. We hope you will be able to join us in Anaheim August 7 through 10 to engage with colleagues and hear from experts on a diverse set of topics.
This year’s Cutting Edge track will feature discussions on emerging technologies for 9-1-1 location, using GIS solutions for public safety and emergency response, digital tools for streamlining recruitment and hiring, and leveraging 5G and cloud-based capabilities to enhance public safety, among other topics. Subject matter experts will showcase how developments in technology can advance emergency communications center (ECC) operations and emergency response overall.
One of the hottest topics this year is the potential for federal funding to support a nationwide transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1). ECCs must have sufficient resources to deploy new technologies and capabilities. Some areas are making progress, but we need significant federal funding to ensure comprehensive, secure, multimedia-capable and interoperable implementation and avoid a mix of “haves” and “have nots” across the country. Members of the Public Safety NG9-1-1 Coalition, an alliance of organizations (including APCO) representing 9-1-1, fire, emergency medical and law enforcement professionals, will describe efforts to secure federal funding for the transition to NG9-1-1 nationwide. Following up on last year’s introduction of legislation that would establish a $15 billion grant program for NG9-1-1, the Coalition will discuss key principles for public safety, growing momentum at the national level and possible next steps to ensure the proposed legislation gets passed into law.
Not all of the “cutting edge” issues are focused on technology. Two Cutting Edge track sessions will highlight the growing trend of revising mental health responses in 9-1-1. Public safety agencies are increasingly using alternative dispatch programs to respond to calls for service such as mental health crises. These programs generally entail incorporating mental health professionals and/ or social services into the dispatch options, but there are several different approaches and variations to their operation. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about mental health diversion programs from ECCs that have implemented such programs in Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C. These sessions will provide insights to working with local government, technology vendors and mental health experts to avoid pitfalls when implementing these alternative response programs.
Those of you who were able to attend the conference last year in San Antonio might recognize that our team from APCO’s Government Relations Office will once again be moderating sessions with panels of 9-1-1 practitioners. For one session, ECC directors from across the country will discuss the biggest challenges facing the industry and the need for ECCs to achieve advanced emergency communications solutions. A separate panel will feature a discussion with 9-1-1 professionals sharing their perspectives on APCO’s top regulatory and legislative priorities, such as reclassifying public safety telecommunicators as “protective service occupations” and securing federal funding for health and wellness programs in ECCs.
In addition to providing valuable information, these presentations will be a great opportunity for our team to engage with APCO members and hear about how these policy issues and our advocacy efforts impact them. APCO’s policy positions and advocacy efforts are driven by the needs of its public safety membership, and we encourage you to connect with us and share your thoughts on these issues — at the conference, or any time throughout the year.
Finally, if you’re interested in the work APCO’s Government Relations Office does, be sure to attend the first general business session when APCO’s chief counsel will provide brief updates on APCO’s top regulatory priorities. We hope to see you in Anaheim. If you’d like to learn more about the issues we’re working on, visit APCO’s advocacy page at www.apcointl.org/advocacy or send us a message at [email protected].
Jeff Cohen ([email protected]) is Chief Counsel and Director of Government Relations for APCO International.
Mark Reddish ([email protected]), Senior Counsel and Manager of Government Relations, and Alison Venable (venablea@apcointl. org), Government Relations Counsel, also contribute to this column.
