The First General Business Session of APCO 2016 was held Sunday afternoon at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The event offered regulatory updates, insights on APCO’s Project 43 and a speech from second vice president candidate Holly Wayt. It was ceremoniously kicked off with a unanimous vote of approval to make APCO members Charlene Fisk and Ricky Rowell Life Members of the association.

REGULATORY UPDATE
APCO Chief Counsel and Director of Government Relations Jeff Cohen presented an update on the association’s regulatory efforts. Cohen said APCO is continuing to help improve 9-1-1 location accuracy following the 2015 adoption of wireless 9-1-1 location accuracy requirements by the FCC. The FCC’s new rules mandate that providers establish a test bed to determine how deployed and emerging location technologies perform indoors in dozens of buildings of different construction types, varying sizes and in different settings. An administrator for the test bed was selected in 2016 and methodology for testing existing and emerging technology was developed.

Cohen also provided an update on the creation of the National Emergency Address Database (NEAD), a secure database that will enable providers to determine a dispatchable location using signals from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth access points. Cohen also addressed APCO’s position on the use of non-service-initialized (NSI) cell phones for 9-1-1 calls, saying that calls from 9-1-1 only phones should be phased out as they are often used for fraudulent purposes. He also touched on 9-1-1 fee diversion, stating that in 2014, 8.8% of 9-1-1 fees collected were used for purposes other than 9-1-1. Cohen said APCO remains strongly opposed to redirecting the funds.

PROJECT 43
“Broadband means a paradigm shift for the PSAP,” said Steve Proctor, managing chair of APCO’s Project 43. Proctor provided an overview of the project, which involves six working groups focused on cybersecurity, governance, operations, technical, training and workforce issues. The groups are composed of varied individuals, with representation from police, sheriff, fire, military, EMS, disaster relief, NENA, NPSTC and IEEE, among others. The groups meet approximately twice a month to collaborate on research and build guidelines to help prepare PSAPs for the future.

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE ADDRESS
Second Vice President candidate Holly Wayt addressed members to state why she should be elected to the position.

“Together, we have worked hard over the years to ensure consistency and interoperability,” she said, stressing that these efforts are needed now more than ever. Wayt, who has been an APCO member since 1995, said she would be honored to serve as second vice president and advocate for the benefit of members. Results will be announced at APCO 2016 during the Second General Business Session, August 16, at 3:50 p.m. Eastern.