Operations
State Training & Certification Survey
September 1, 2010Despite the need, there are no national minimum training standards for 9-1-1 telecommunicators. There’s little consensus on how much training in what subjects is necessary and how—and whether—to fund such training. Each state has taken its own path. This article discusses the results of a national survey to determine what each state requires with regard to training.
Read full articleAPCO Candidate Standards Open for Review & Comment
September 1, 2010The APCO Standards Development Committee has been working hard to create and revise national standards for public safety communications. Here…
Read full articleAPCO Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Draft Training Standards for Public Safety Telecommunicators
August 31, 2010The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International released for comments proposed changes to the draft of a candidate American…
Read full articleA Crisis at the Heart of the PSAP
August 26, 2010The following article tells four stories about emergencies that struck at the heart of the comm center, from the perspective of those who were there and most closely affected. These compelling stories remind us that it’s not a matter of if but when an emergency will hit very close to home for comm center personnel.
Read full articleHIPAA Didn’t Kill the Radio Star
August 26, 2010The dawn of the age of HIPAA did not mark the demise of emergency medical dispatch (EMD) as we knew it. Nonetheless, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) did create some confusion regarding our traditional practices of communicating patient information over the radio airwaves.
Read full articleNlets PRISM Transactions
August 26, 2010The Performance and Registration Information Systems Management program was developed to reduce the number of commercial vehicle crashes. The program, which requires motor carriers to improve their identified safety deficiencies or face progressively more stringent sanctions, has proved effective. Nlets provides a transaction for law enforcement on these vehicles.
Read full articleAPCO Standards Update
August 25, 2010Read about the latest success of the EAIE standard. Also review and comment on the candidate standard for minimum training for public safety telecommunicators.
Read full articleCommunication Breakdown in Wisconsin: City & County Agencies at Odds over Emergency Radio System
August 12, 2010In the basement of the Dane County (Wis.) Sheriff’s Office, four pallets loaded with radios, still in their boxes, are taking up floor space. At issue, the VHF radios don’t work on Madison’s 800 MHz system. The state is encouraging VHF. And narrowbanding means a decision has to be made soon.
Read full articleAPCO Committee Releases Interim Report on HR & Staffing Challenges
August 11, 2010At the APCO conference in Houston, the APCO Professional Communications Human Resources Taskforce (ProCHRT) released its initial report. The Interim Report on Challenges Facing Human Resources & Staffing in the 9-1-1 Public Safety Communications Center stated, “We can only conclude, at the writing of this interim report, that the nation would rank an F [with regard to both training and retirement benefits]. … The preliminary findings should raise concern in every locality and state in the country.”
Read full articleBulk Cash Smuggling Transactions
August 11, 2010To avoid the scrutiny of law enforcement and compliance entities, criminal organizations often transport illicit funds, including bulk cash, via the interstate system en route to destinations across the U.S. and abroad. Nlets is designing a data transaction that addresses bulk cash smuggling for law enforcement.
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