Today APCO completed its nearly 21-month-long renovation and expansion of the APCO International Headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida.
APCO Applauds FCC Action to Support Next Generation 9-1-1
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an Order that establishes new rules to facilitate the deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).
APCO and NENA Express Disappointment in Committee Passage of Modified 9-1-1 SAVES Act
On July 10, the House Education and Workforce Committee passed an amended version of the 9-1-1 SAVES Act (H.R. 6319) which changes the legislation from directing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reclassify public safety telecommunicators to only consider changing the classification.
Small Doses, Big Returns?
Microlearning is a revolutionary approach to training that is transforming how public safety personnel receive education and prepare for their mission-critical roles.
APCO Opposes Requests to Change Network Outage Reporting Requirements
On June 24, APCO filed a formal opposition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding a petition from the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) asking the FCC to alter service providers’ obligations to notify ECCs of network outages.
Young Professional Spotlight: Hailey Brunner, Cass County Sheriff’s Office (MO)
Hailey Brunner grew up around a sheriff’s office where her father has had a long-standing career. She started her career as a first responder in 2016 as a junior firefighter. It was then that Hailey first admired the calm voices on the other end of the radio, regardless of the situation.
Supporting Headset Heroes: APCO International Awards Members Professional Development Scholarships
APCO International is pleased to announce that 82 APCO members were selected as recipients of the APCO’s Silent Key and Commercial Partner Scholarship Program.
APCO Comments on New Communications Framework
On May 30, APCO filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding a new framework which allows wireless carriers to partner with satellite network providers to enable regular cell phones to communicate via satellite.
APCO International Announces 2024 Award Winners
APCO International is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Emergency Communications Center Awards and Technology Leadership Awards.
The Telecommunicators Are Out There
In this challenging hiring environment, managers have become focused on how to fine-tune their recruitment process to attract the highest caliber employee.
Young Professional Spotlight: Shanice Scott, Guilford Metro 9-1-1
Shanice began her career as a dispatcher four years ago. She has also achieved the title of Certified Training Officer (CTO) and has been training new hires at GM 9-1-1 for the past year.
APCO’s Steve Devine Talks Tech Trends in 9-1-1
Steve shared his thoughts on the biggest trends in 9-1-1 technology, including the transition from analog to digital systems with Next Generation 9-1-1. Steve also discussed the role of public safety broadband in the emergency communications center (ECC) and the issues APCO is prioritizing to support telecommunicators.
APCO Statement Concerning 9-1-1 Outages
Interruptions to the public’s ability to reach 9-1-1 are a serious concern. As a practice, APCO does not comment on specific outages until we are confident that the causes are fully understood, but here’s what we know about outages in general.
Teammates-in-Action: Amy Wilson, Northwest Central Dispatch System
On December 1, 2023, Telecommunicator Amy Wilson, of the Northwest Central Dispatch System in Illinois, answered a call for a subject with a knife at a residence.
Teammates-in-Action: Troop C, Missouri State Highway Patrol Communications
On September 11, 2023, what appeared to be a malicious attack on the REJIS system, agencies’ law enforcement printers were re-routed to Troop C.
Teammates-in-Action: Katie Minor, Karimah Young, Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
On October 26, 2023, the Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications received a 9-1-1 call from a male who was driving his pregnant wife to the hospital.
APCO International Announces Recipients of 2024 Leadership in Policy Awards
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International announces the recipients of its prestigious 2024 Public Safety Communications Leadership in Policy Awards, who will be honored during APCO’s annual Public Safety Communications Leadership Dinner in National Harbor, MD, on May 29, 2024.
APCO and NENA Meet with U.S. Speaker of the House and Other Elected Officials
APCO Board Member Jack Varnado and Chief Counsel Jeff Cohen joined NENA representatives and other state and local 9-1-1 and law enforcement officials to meet with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Bill Cassidy, and staff for Senators John Kennedy and Ted Budd to discuss key legislative priorities for 9-1-1.
Lives of Others
[Originally published in the March/April 2024 PSC magazine.] Bringing family or friends to the workplace can open their eyes to the pressures experienced by public safety telecommunications. By Sherianne Hermes Upon returning home from my shift, my husband asks about my day and why I needed to work last-minute overtime today to cover a sick […]
APCO Announces Final Approval of American National Standard for Incident Handling Process
APCO International received final approval on February 27, 2024, for the revision of APCO American National Standard (ANS) Public Safety Communications Incident Handling Process.
APCO President Meets with Congressman and Former 9-1-1 Dispatcher Dale Strong
On February 12, APCO President Becky Neugent met with Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL) in Birmingham, Alabama, to raise awareness of the issues facing the 9-1-1 community and how Congress can help address these challenges.
Young Professional Spotlight: Jorian Jewell
Jorian was born in Oklahoma, grew up in England and finished high school in Nebraska before returning to Oklahoma. He was working two retail jobs and planning on going back to school when he landed his job as a telecommunicator which quickly turned into a career for him.
APCO Seeks Volunteers for the NJTI-TERT Committee
APCO International is seeking volunteers to serve on the National Joint TERT Initiative, LLC (NJTI) – Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT) Committee.
APCO’s 9-1-1 Wellness Summit Provides Ideas, Action Plans and Support
Health and wellness in 9-1-1 has been discussed in many formats and the Summit was an opportunity for attendees to share face-to-face, be vulnerable and take home the tools they need to create successful wellness programs back at their agencies.
Young Professional Spotlight: Courtney Waldron, City of Lawton, OK
Courtney began her career with the City of Lawton in August 2018 and quickly rose to the rank of Shift Supervisor by March 2022. Her coworkers describe this promotion as a “direct reflection of her staunch loyalty to the dispatch center and her job performance.”
