We’re excited to announce two key speakers for the 9-1-1 Staffing Crisis Summit:
- Melissa Alterio, M.S., CPE, RPL, executive director, Cobb County Department of Emergency Communications. Melissa will share her expertise on overcoming staffing challenges and building a strong team in emergency communications.
- Jennifer Schwartz, MLS, CPM, vice president of partner success, Versaterm Public Safety. Jennifer will focus on understanding the dynamics in 9-1-1 centers that are the real cause of employee disengagement, burnout and attrition.
Join us October 22-24 in Fort Worth, Texas, to hear from industry experts like these who will provide in-depth insights into the current staffing crisis in 9-1-1. Register now and visit the website to check out all of our amazing speakers!
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In honor of October being cybersecurity awareness month, we have created short videos with cybersecurity tips and useful information. This week's video is about smishing, a form of phishing that uses SMS text messaging to trick people into revealing personal information or click on unknown links.
Watch the video
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Last month, APCO shared its participation in a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill hosted by the Public Safety NG9-1-1 Coalition to educate members of Congress on the importance of fully funding NG9-1-1. Since then, the Coalition has taken steps to highlight key takeaways from the event, such as the fact that the nation’s 9-1-1 systems are outdated and vulnerable to attack, NG9-1-1 will begin saving lives the moment it is deployed and the importance of full interoperability when implementing NG9-1-1. These takeaways and other materials from the congressional briefing, including photos, slides from the presentations and a one-pager on NG9-1-1 funding, can be found on the Coalition website.
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Designed for public safety professionals, APCO's Registered Public-Safety Leader (RPL) Program focuses on advancing supervisory and management abilities crucial for effective emergency communications center operations. Delivered entirely online, this program covers diverse topics, including management dynamics, team performance enhancement and communication skills refinement. Seats are open for programs that start in November, January and February.
Learn more about RPL
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The APCO Institute provides an online examination for emergency communications center (ECC) professionals seeking radio technician certification. This exam encompasses essential knowledge for two-way radio technicians, including FCC regulations, fundamental electronics and the unique challenges of public safety communications. Specifically designed for working technicians, it emphasizes practical troubleshooting skills relevant to ECC environments. Successful candidates will receive a certification that remains valid for five years. The exam is offered monthly – October registration is now available. Cost is $79 for APCO members; $99 for non-members.
Learn more
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All of the photos from APCO 2024, which took place August 4-7 in Orlando, are now available on APCO's Flickr page. Relive the fun and excitement!
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Congratulations to Britt Whitmire of Guilford Metro in Greensboro, North Carolina, for his recognition as this week's Teammates-in-Action. Whitmire routinely volunteers, signs up or comes in when requested to help the agency whenever there is a staffing issue. He lightens the oftentimes stressful atmosphere with his wittiness and observations. Whitmire makes working for a 9-1-1 center more bearable and enjoyable.
Read more
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CBC
After her son died from cardiac arrest, Kim Reuther advocated for public safety telecommunicators worldwide to be trained to walk 9-1-1 callers through the use of defibrillators within seconds.
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WTAJ
Keara Tice took the call at 3 a.m. and realized the mother would need birthing instructions before paramedics could arrive.
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69 News
The state-of-the-art facility puts improved technologies and infrastructure to work for the county’s 129,000 residents.
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WAFF 48
Recruiters are attending community events, job fairs and broadcasting job requirements to boost application numbers.
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Route Fifty
The public safety communications industry depends on FirstNet and NG9-1-1 systems to help make up for outdated technology, insufficient staffing and outdated maps.
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Originally published in the September/October 2024 PSC magazine.
Global public safety communication systems have increasingly become cyberattack targets, and the threat is growing. According to research from the Public Safety Threat Alliance (PSTA), a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)-recognized Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO), cyberattacks targeting worldwide public safety organizations occurred, on average, at least once per day in 2023 and actually succeeded in shutting down a public agency once every two days. That’s a 64% increase over 2022.
Read more
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The APCO Institute offers courses and programs to meet the training needs of emergency communications professionals. Choose from online, virtual classroom or in-person courses.
Courses beginning October 15:
Courses beginning October 16:
Courses beginning on October 23:
See the training calendar for more dates: virtual courses | online courses | in-person courses
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