Posts From Keri Losavio
They Answered the Call
April 14, 2011On Jan. 8, Tucson, Ariz., and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department were unwillingly thrust onto the world stage when a…
Read full articleA Chance to Say Thank You
April 13, 2011This week is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, and APCO and the editors of Public Safety Communications would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the 9-1-1 comm center and PSAP calltakers, dispatchers, radio engineers, technicians, supervisors, managers and directors who ensure 9-1-1 calls are answered quickly and the appropriate response sent. “Sleepy Sunday, Medical Monday, Trick or Treat Tuesday, Wannabee Wenday (dress like your cowrker), Tailgater Thursday, Flashback Friday, Slumber Party Saturday, a BBQ where all agencies we dispatch for are invited, games through out the week with prizes and goodie bags with items for each dispatchers.” These are just some of the celebration ideas Susan Miller Waltz shared with APCO on our Facebook page.
Read full articleThe Needs of First Responders
April 1, 2011“Mr. Chairman, the needs of first responders are not being met,” said APCO International President Bill Carrow before the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee. On Wednesday, Carrow and other Public Safety Alliance representatives testified at a hearing on the state of public safety communications since 9/11 and legislation to reallocate the D Block to public safety.
Read full articlePractical Applications
March 24, 2011Security, survivability, sustainability—these were the three concepts that participants kept coming back to during the APCO Technology Roundtable, held March…
Read full articleLegislation Makes Telecommunicator Training Available in Arkansas
March 24, 2011Little Rock, Ark. — At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe signed a bill into law that makes minimum training available for public safety telecommunicators across the state. The bill, HB 1741 — now Act 640 — which was filed on Feb. 28, passed through the state House and Senate with no opposition.
Read full articleReality on the Ground
February 17, 2011“When an emergency happens, we rely on first responders like police, firefighters and public safety officials to keep us from harm. Far too often we talk about the important role these brave first responders play, but fail to give them the tools they need to do their job,” said Sen. John D. Rockefeller at Wednesday’s hearing on Safeguarding Our Future: Building a Nationwide Network for First Responders.
Read full articleThoughts from Around the Room
February 11, 2011For APCO International, its inaugural Technology Roundtable, held Feb. 9 in Ontario, Calif., and sponsored by TeleCommunication Systems Inc., succeeded in creating an open and dynamically evolving dialogue among 13 public safety communications leaders on the topics they wanted to discuss.
Read full articleViews from the West
February 11, 2011Approximately 600 public safety communications professionals from across the Western Region of the U.S. — representing every state — gathered in Ontario, Calif., this week for the 2011 APCO International Western States Regional Conference.
Read full articlePSAPs in an Internet Age
December 9, 2010As a comm center manager or director, have you considered what impact the use of the Internet has on your personnel and center? What’s its value, if any? On Dec. 8, APCO Institute Adjunct Instructor Mark Boudreaux addressed these issues and their policy considerations during an APCO Institute webinar.
Read full articleWhat’s Your Mission?
November 30, 2010Have you checked out the discussion forums on PSConnect.org yet? If not, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to connect with your peers. One thread you may want to check out is on mission statements. A member of the Antarctic Fire Department has been tasked with revising the department’s mission statement, and several people have shared their mission statements in response.
Read full article