On Tuesday Aug. 20, APCO members gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Anaheim Marriott for the second general business meeting.

Outgoing president Terry Hall opened the meeting by highlighting some of the association’s major accomplishments over the past year, followed by executive director Derek Poarch with a presentation on the state of the association. Poarch reported that APCO’s revenue last year exceeded $10 million, 2% greater than the budget projected, and that membership rose above 18,000.

Following Poarch’s remarks were presentations from APCO federal partners. David Turetsky of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reaffirmed the FCC’s commitment to the reliability of 9-1-1 networks in emergency situations, as well as the general reliability of mobile wireless networks. Turetsky thanked the APCO executive committee and membership for their valuable input.

Chris Essid of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications took the stage to discuss an update to the SAFECOM National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), originally developed in 2008. Essid reiterated the effectiveness of the SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum, using the Boston Marathon bombing as an example of the evolving emergency communications ecosystem. The update to the NECP is more inclusive of the general community, with enhanced planning and increased coordination efforts.

Following the presentation from APCO federal partners, the voting membership unanimously approved a quorum resolution clarifying policy for senior and life membership credentials. Past president Nate McClure read the election results, which confirmed John Wright as first vice president and Brent Lee as second vice president. They took their oath of office at the President’s Dinner on Wednesday night.