APCO’s efforts to reclassify Public Safety Telecommunicators as Protective Service Occupations involved a major grassroots campaign by APCO’s members and supporters. Thank you for joining the fight.
Formal comments poured into OMB (the federal office overseeing the reclassification process) from all 50 states, detailing thousands of examples of the protective service and lifesaving work Public Safety Telecommunicators perform every day. OMB received comments from PSAPs large and small, rural and urban; telecommunicators new to the field and with decades of experience; as well as from managers, directors, first responders, chiefs, and sheriffs, all sharing stories like talking callers through CPR, first aid, or childbirth, protecting first responders, instructing callers how to remain safe, and negotiating with suicidal callers or hostage-takers.
Members and supporters also sent thousands of letters to Congress raising awareness and urging their senators and members of the Congressional Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus to support the reclassification of Public Safety Telecommunicators. Letters were sent to all 100 U.S. Senators and nearly every House member of the Caucus.
You can read more about APCO’s efforts in this
press release and in the November/December issue of
PSC magazine. You can also read APCO’s latest
formal comments.
Now that the formal comment opportunity has ended, federal officials
plan to review public comments and announce final recommendations in Spring 2017. APCO will continue to closely monitor any new developments and keep you posted. This will remain a priority for APCO until the federal officials get it right.
