On September 17, the Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1 Coalition, consisting of APCO and the nation’s leading national public safety associations, held a summit on Capitol Hill demonstrating the urgency for Congress to fully fund the transition of today’s aging and vulnerable 9-1-1 networks to a modern, secure, interoperable and innovative Next Generation 9-1-1 system throughout all areas of the United States.
Teammates-in-Action: Stephanie Stone, Tim Walters and Wade Davis, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office
A 9-1-1 call was received in the early afternoon hours of October 20, 2023, which led to a series of events. A distraught female was reporting a male intruder with a gun in her residence.
Teammates-in-Action: Derrik Gregg, Scottsdale Communications
On Friday, September 1, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at approximately 0238 hours, Communications Supervisor Derrik Gregg received a 9-1-1 call that disconnected shortly after he answered.
APCO and NENA Ask Harris, Trump Campaigns to Support NG9-1-1 Funding and Nationwide Implementation
Today, APCO International and NENA: The 9-1-1 Association sent joint letters to the presidential campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, and former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance, inviting a campaign pledge to support full federal funding for the nationwide implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).
Teammates-in-Action: Lyz Wood, Pampa Police Department
On February 27, 2024, Telecommunications Operator Lyz Wood of the Pampa Police Department in Pampa Texas, was dealing with several wildfires that were threatening the city of Pampa and the county.
Teammates-in-Action: Telecommunicators Hake and Cummings, Williamson County Department of Emergency Services
On November 7, 2023, Williamson County Department of Emergency Services in Tennessee received a call for a fire in a wood line. That fire began to grow quickly from being small to peaking at 150 acres.
APCO 2024: Second General Business Meeting
APCO members elected the association’s new 1st Vice President and 2nd Vice President Tuesday as results were announced during the Second General Business Session in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
APCO 2024: Opening General Session
Hundreds gathered in the Orange County Convention Center Valencia Ballroom for the Opening General Session of the Annual Conference & Expo, APCO 2024 in Orlando, Florida, on Monday.
APCO 2024: First General Business Session
The first day of the 90th Annual Conference & Expo, APCO 2024 in Orlando, Florida, concluded with the General Business Session on Sunday as members declared their candidacies for the APCO 1st Vice President position, new life members were named and the association’s government relations progress was outlined.
APCO Makes Compelling Case to Reclassify 9-1-1 Professionals at the Federal Level
Today, APCO submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget urging the agency to reclassify Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs) from the current Office and Administrative Support Occupations category to the Protective Service Occupations category in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
Silent Key: Mark Spross
Mark Spross, RPL, CPE and APCO International’s second vice president, passed away last weekend.
APCO Headquarters Expansion Concludes With Dedication Ceremony
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.
