APCO stands with the women and men of the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority Police Department following the vicious and calculated attack on law enforcement there last night. Our thoughts and prayers will be with the slain officers’ families and colleagues, and the surviving officers, in the difficult days ahead

On July 28, APCO’s Government Relations Office will provide an update on pending public safety legislation, the use of mobile apps for contacting 9-1-1, APCO’s efforts to promote interoperability and security in mobile apps, and more. Free to members. Learn more here.

As a certification and training entity, the APCO Institute offers a number of courses that result in professional certification for public safety communications practitioners. Certification and recertification guidelines are based on national standards and are subject to updates in order to meet the changing public safety environment. In addition, Institute processes for managing certification and recertification may change occasionally to improve efficiency and customer service.
 
To assist customers in managing these changes, the Institute will implement changes to certification and recertification requirements and processes only two times per year, on July 1 and January 1. Customers will be notified of pending changes at least 60 days in advance of the changes being implemented. Providing significant advance notice will give customers the opportunity to plan for the changes and to contact Institute staff for more information.

The recently enacted Ohio PSAP Operations Rule 5507-01-09 mandates that some communications centers must implement an emergency medical dispatch program before May 12, 2018. If you are interested in learning more about how APCO’s comprehensive EMD Program can help you meet this mandate, please be sure to register for our free webinar taking place July 14 at 1 p.m. EDT, "Meeting Ohio’s EMD Mandate: How APCO’S EMD Program Works for Your Agency." The event is co-sponsored by the APCO Institute and the APCO Ohio Chapter and is open to anyone, regardless of location. Register.

Richard E. Ranson (KD9Q) is currently the UAPD Radio Systems Administrator & Intercollegiate Athletics Gameday Frequency Coordinator at The University of Alabama, the Society of Broadcast Engineers Frequency Coordinator for Tuscaloosa, Ala., and serves on the Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Board of Directors.

Urgent Communications If all goes well, FirstNet will conclude its massive RFP process by revealing its contractor partner in less than four months. While that announcement certainly will be a significant milestone, it will only mark the beginning of a new phase for FirstNet, which then has to deliver the nationwide public safety broadband network that first-responder officials have anticipated for so long.

Associated Press During the attack in Orlando last month, several victims texted relatives to call 9-1-1, fearing they would draw too much attention by making voice calls. None of them could text 9-1-1 directly because Orlando is among the many cities that don't have that capability. Among a cluster of deadly mass shootings, police departments are exploring technology that would allow dispatchers to receive texts, photos and videos in real time.

EMS World At FirstNet, we are focused on planning and deploying a nationwide broadband network for public safety; one that can evolve with technology, leverage innovation in the commercial sector, and adapt to public safety’s mission needs. Richard Reed, FirstNet’s Chief Customer Officer, says, "we are taking the same approach to FirstNet, the organization."

The Exponent Telegram The Stonewall Jackson Amateur Radio Association and the Central West Virginia Wireless Association combined forces to hold Field Day 2016 last month. The group helps out in emergency situations when phones are down and/or 9-1-1 is inundated with calls and needs volunteers to help. The amateur radio community in southern West Virginia is working right now to help people stuck in the floods.