Get caught up on some of yesterday’s sessions with the Sunday wrap-up.

Cutting Edge Policy Issues for APCO Members
Presenters: Jeff Cohen, Mark Reddish, Nicole Zimbelman

APCO’s Government Relations team described its role for the association and APCO’s positions on a variety of policy issues. The primary topics included ensuring seamless interoperability for Next Generation 9-1-1, improving 9-1-1 location accuracy, enhancing emergency alerts, preserving public safety’s interference-free access to spectrum and preventing 9-1-1 fee diversion. At a high level, the team also addressed APCO’s advocacy regarding 9-1-1 network reliability and resiliency, non-service initialized phones, 9-1-1 mobile apps, text-to-9-1-1 and real-time text.

– Courtesy of the GRO team

Non-Traditional Approaches to Modernizing 9-1-1
Speakers: Eyal Elyashiv (COO, Carbyne), Steve Raucher (CEO, RapidDeploy)

Two companies, Carbyne and RapidDeploy, are taking a “disruptive,” “out-of-the-box” approach to bringing NG9-1-1 solutions to PSAPs today.

Eyal Elyashiv, the COO of Carbyne, spoke to the audience about its Next-Gen call-taking platform – a solution that is based on IP protocols and makes available many data inputs (location, voice, video, caller’s profile and chat) to PSAPs through a “plug-in” in their existing call-taking system.

Steve Raucher, the CEO of RapidDeploy, described his cloud CAD system that currently has over 50 integrations with data sources like RapidSOS, Waze, and Google Maps, and can seamlessly share data with any internet-connected source.

Questions posed by the audience addressed CJIS requirements, cybersecurity and how to craft effective RFPs. Raucher observed that “there are two kinds of PSAPs in the U.S.: those that are in the cloud and those that will be in the cloud. It’s not ‘if,’ it’s ‘when.’”

– Covered by GRO Team and Michelle Cahn

Cybersecurity and Emergency Communications: Protecting the Systems That Protect the Public
Speaker: Jay English, Chief Technology Officer, APCO International

This session provided an overview of cybersecurity risk, the current threat landscape, sector-specific risk assessments and cybersecurity options for public safety. These options included planning for cybersecurity defense that includes what emergency communications centers can do now to improve cyber posture. The steps outlined included basic cyber hygiene training, password and physical security, vendor relationship management and the importance of engaging the vendor and service provider community in the cybersecurity discussion.

As we transition to IP-based architectures across government, we will face increasing exposure to cyber threats and vulnerabilities that did not exist in the legacy environment. Cyber risk management strategies must be implemented at multiple levels from core services to the local level. The protection of information and property from theft, corruption or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to remain accessible and productive to its intended users is of paramount importance to public safety.

Safeguarding computer systems, as well as the data contained within them, and maintaining confidentiality, integrity and availability of that data is the focus of any cybersecurity program. Forward looking issues must be examined to expand the context of the threat to the public safety communications as a result of the expansion of the public safety ecosystem. This must include additional information sources and new “players” such as FirstNet, health care providers, public safety apps and other entities that reflect the emergence of new technologies. Self-assessment of current capabilities, initiation of training and incorporation of cybersecurity into all new architectures is very important.

Cyber-attacks are a very real threat to public safety. However, as with any threat, there is a way to plan for, mitigate, respond to and recover from these attacks. Public safety communications professionals are well positioned to respond to threats and have the experience and tenacity to do so successfully. Cyber is no different and by being prepared, proactive and engaged our profession will continue to improve, and ultimately prevail, in this fight.

– Courtesy of the speaker

Hurricane Irma: Taking Care of Our Own
Speakers: Natalie Duran, FL-APCO Chapter; Jonathan Jones, GA-TERT

In the days leading up to, and in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma, one thing became clear: there was a definite need for a TERT deployment to the state of Florida. This session included some critical takeaways to the multi-state Florida TERT deployment, such as pre-planning and training, necessary documentation and accuracy in filing the deployment requests, and the vital need for critical incident stress management during and after the deployment. This was the first out-of-state deployment for both Tennessee and Georgia while 11 PSAPS in Florida responded.

Among the many lessons learned:

• The importance of maintaining a landline for communication and coordination (when cell tower and power infrastructure is down).
• Assign liaisons to hosting agency dispatchers who have experienced personal loss in the disaster so they feel comfortable sharing their personal necessities list (“adopt” a dispatcher program).
• Paperwork for filing the EMAC (request) and REQA (response) must be accurate and complete, especially personnel lists, which must include hourly and overtime rates in order to receive proper salary reimbursement. Other paperwork includes a daily ICS-214 from every deployed member.
• State TERT databases must be updated regularly to ensure members are still active or interested in responding. Coordinators must regularly communicate with team leaders.
• Critical incident stress management is vital for successful outcomes during and after the disaster—people are the most important resource.
• Most importantly, while online training is good, it can never fully replace the benefits from classroom training, tabletop exercises and face-to-face workshops.

– Covered by Christine Massengale

O% Turnover: How the Best 9-1-1 Leaders Keep Their Best Employees
Speaker: Adam Timm, The Healthy Dispatcher

Adam Timm will be the first person to admit, he used to have a bad attitude in his early comm center days. That is, until he figured out that he was part of the problem! This is a very energetic and inspirational presentation that was shared with and received well by a room full of APCO 2018 attendees.

In the comm center, and everywhere else, everyone is asking “what’s possible” if I continue to come into work.

Timm walked us through the five qualities of exemplary leaders.

• First, modeling by setting the example you want others to follow and by planning small wins.
• An exemplary leader inspires a shared vision by envisioning the future and sharing it with others. It’s not enough to do this just once. You must reiterate it so people remember and so it gets passed to new generations. And you need to enlist help to make that vision become a reality. You can’t do it alone and the best leaders knows this.
• A great leader must challenge process by searching for opportunities, by experimenting and taking risks.
• You must enable others to act by fostering collaboration and strengthening others.
• Finally, you must encourage the heart by recognizing individual contributions and celebrating accomplishments. Your organization is never too large to practice these simple but often overlooked leadership skills.

Timm reminded us: problems that plague our PSAPS are universal. Seek out others, share and learn from them.

The best leaders know relationships equal power. Get feedback by constantly talking with your people.

Your job as a leader is to get everyone on the us bus and make sure everyone is going in the same direction.

– Covered by Brian Butler

New Findings and Improved Tools for Staffing and Retention
Speakers: Crystal McDuffie, APCO International; Steve Leese, APCO International

– Covered by Megan Bixler

Agency Training Program Certification – Does Your Training Program Meet the Standard?
Speakers: Crystal McDuffie, APCO International; and Rick Thomas, Apex Police Department

The Agency Training Program Certification, an initiative of Project 33, is an important step to ensure that an agency is meeting the APCO American National Standard (ANS) for Minimum Training for Public Safety Telecommunicators. This program ensures that an agency’s training meets the national standard which helps with furthering the efforts recognizing public safety telecommunicators (PSTs) as first responders. During this session, Crystal McDuffie and Rick Thomas outlined:

• The Agency Training Program. This program is a committee run program.
• Preplanning the application process. Preplanning the application process is critical to ensuring completeness and acceptance. Helpful tips include downloading the standard and gathering necessary documentation to support meeting the standard. Additionally, due to multiple versions of Microsoft Office, it was suggested that documentation be submitted in PDF form.
• Process for obtaining certification. A sample application (with supporting documentation) was shown to highlight the type of materials needed for certification. After an agency has submitted the $500 certification or recertification fee, they are required to attend a webinar which will inform about the entire Agency Training Program Certification process and suitable documentation.
• Completing your application. The internal communications between the APCO Agency Training Staff Liaison and Agency Training Committee will be established. All approved agencies are recognized at the annual APCO conference as a certified agency.
• Recertification process.

This year was a record year for agency certification. The application fee for the initial and recertification is $500 per agency.

– Covered by Megan Bixler