Moderator: Mel Maier, Chief Technology Officer, APCO International; Panelists: Laura Cooper, Major Cities Chiefs Association; Nic Briseno, Story County Sheriff’s Office; Elliott Davis, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Chris Lombard, Seattle Fire Department
Members of the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1 Coalition – a group of associations representing 9-1-1, fire, emergency medical, and law enforcement professionals – discussed their efforts to secure bipartisan support for legislation to enable a nationwide upgrade to NG9-1-1. The panelists highlighted the importance of adhering to core principles, including that NG9-1-1 should be technologically and competitively neutral, and ensure full interoperability.
The panelists also described the status of moving the bill through Congress, with APCO Chief Technology Officer and Coalition spokesman Mel Maier saying, “We have a bipartisan bill, with industry and public safety support and we have to move it forward.”