Getting Out of Your Own Way: How to Take Your Leadership to the Next Level
Presenters: Kimberly A. Miller PHD with Kimberly A. Miller and Associates, LLC;  Lt. David Pearson, Fort Collins Police and Kimberly A Miller Associates, LLC.

In this presentation, Kimberly A. Miller and Lt. David Pearson led us through a very interactive presentation that was received well by a room full of APCO 2018 attendees.

As leaders, it’s easy for us to unknowingly stand in the way of progress for our teams and organizations.

Key factors presented included “ego” and, specifically, the dangers of ego and how to keep it in check.

Next on the agenda were “strengths” and the powerful duo conveyed the pitfalls of overusing our strengths and relying on our sometimes limited styles to solve every problem instead of learning many different techniques that may be more effective in different situations.

“Perceptions, bias, and judgement” were also discussed in detail. Doubt yourself and be curious. Seek data to disconfirm beliefs, and choose your own character.

“Mindset” was also a key topic of discussion, including a discussion about our programming and how we can develop our mindset, and why we are more likely to focus on the bad.

While training your minds, don’t let history interfere with destiny. Learn to control your own destiny and seek lessons in every challenge.

– Covered by Brian Butler

North Bay Wildfires: Lessons Learned From REDCOM Fire and EMS Dispatch
Presenter: Aaron Abbott, REDCOM

“When you’re going through Hell, keep on going,” said Winston Churchill. The sentiment aptly described the North Bay Wildfires of Sonoma County, California, October 8-29, 2017. The ordeal left many lessons learned and today’s presentation by Aaron Abbott, M.S., NRP, Executive Director of REDCOM (Redwood Empire Dispatch Communications Authority), touched on those lessons.

REDCOM, located in Santa Rose, California, is a Joint Powers Authority established in 2002 under the California Joint Exercise of Powers Act to provide centralized emergency Fire and EMS dispatching to emergency response agencies within Sonoma County. REDCOM is operated on contract by American Medical Response.

An interactive map display highlighted the growth over the first 18 hours, resulting in over 800 fires. There was a similar situation happening in Napa Valley (the Atlas Fire) next door, which taxed normal resources. Fires burned into each other, with 80 mph winds pushing the fire into the city of Santa Rosa. The Tubbs, Nuns and Atlas fires rate among the top 20 wildfires in California history.

Four major hospitals are in the area, with two in the direct path of the fires, along with seven skilled nursing care facilities and one state development center, resulting in 840 medical patients being evacuated, many to out of state facilities, and all coordinated by the EOC.

Call volumes rose to over seven times their normal rate during this massive event, with 356 calls received per hour by 10 dispatchers. REDCOM dispatches for 40 fire and EMS agencies, all of which are either part of JPA or private contractors. In addition to all these concerns, there were several unique internal issues that had to be dealt with. Dispatchers who were handling calls could literally see the flames from their windows. A plan was put in place to evacuate if it reached within a few blocks.

They were cut-off and unable to evacuate to their backup center. The air in the dispatch center was very smoky. One of the millennial dispatchers reached out through Facebook to her former employer who supplied box fans, duct tape and filters.

The first shift lasted 36 hours. Some lost their homes, others were in the evacuation zone, not knowing if they had a home to go to. Some brought their families to the center as they had nowhere else to go. Family planning is a current focus so dispatchers can have their families taken care of while the do their jobs.

Radio communications went down for 27½ minutes during the early morning hours as a result of a repeater site burning down. They quickly checked remaining radio infrastructure from web cams. Loss of further radio resources would have affected four separate agencies, including REDCOM. There was no protocol in place to tell people how to escape a wildfire that is approaching. Since then, in partnership with IAED, version 7 now includes that protocol.

Steps are being taken for the next event. Each staff member has a 72-hour emergency kit. Practice evacuation procedures takes place on a regular basis. Plans are in the works for child care for employees and other evacuees, with encouragement for family disaster planning and preparedness. Great resources online include are www.ready.gov and FEMA independent study courses regarding planning for emergency events.

– Covered by Cheryl Konarski

An Update on DHS’ Efforts to Improve Emergency Communications
Presenters: Admiral Ron Hewitt; John Merrill

John Merrill, Director of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), provided updates on the Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) Apex Program, which conducts research and development with the goal of making responders better protected, connected and fully aware. He discussed a series of integration demonstrations that the NGFR program has held to test and showcase the interoperability of new technologies, the development and testing of artificial intelligence capabilities for first responders, and jamming exercises that have recently taken place.

Admiral Ron Hewitt, Director of the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) at DHS, provided an update on a number of programs at OEC with the goal of improving the interoperability of public safety communications. This included SAFECOM activities, such as its recent nationwide survey, the status of the newest version of the National Emergency Communications Plan, which is expected to be released in late 2019, and governance recommendations derived from the National Governors Association Policy Academy workshops.

– Covered by APCO Government Relations Office

Imagine Listening – Your Worst Day is My Every Day
Presenter: Ricardo Martinez II, Within the Trenches Podcast

No truer words were spoken.  Ricardo Martinez, founder of the #iam911 movement, created this session to unite 9-1-1 telecommunicators everywhere.  Ricardo told me “By sharing stories, it creates a peer support for all of us. By sharing stories, we manage our demons.”

In the jam-packed room, many shared stories of heartache, memories they cannot shake, stories that they have needed to share but did not have a forum to do so until now. There is something cathartic about reliving your hardest calls with a group that knows exactly what you are feeling. Stories of losing officers, families losing loved ones, murders and suicides and so much more were shared in a room that completely understood that pain.

“We are not drones answering those calls. We are right there with that person” Ricardo shared. For every story shared, many are still waiting to be shared.

On the lighter side, Ricardo recorded a session of his hugely popular podcast “Within The Trenches,” highlighting stories from the 9-1-1 dispatchers that live them. Many funny moments were shared – open mics, hard times given between responders and dispatchers (all with as much love as we can possibly give), dispatching some very strange calls from the public and much more. Knowing we have moments of levity can help us through all the rest of what we handle day in, day out. This podcast will be shared later via his many platforms, including Within the Trenches.

Ricardo also shared that as a result of the #IAM911 movement, we now are part of a global phenomenon. It has spread to Canada (#IAM911), Australia (#IAM000) and New Zealand (#IAM111).

– Covered by Cheryl Konarski