APCO News

Thank You 2006-2007 Committee Members!

APCO salutes the many members who have donated their time and energy to APCO's Committees. Visit http://www.apcointl.org/committee-thank-you.html for a full listing of Committee Members.

APCO International Job Services

Looking to make your next great hire? Let APCO International help you with your candidate search by advertising your vacancy on the APCO Job Services board or in the APCO magazine -- or both!  Take advantage of the power of tapping the resources of the largest network of public safety communications professionals in the world.  Join the hundreds who advertise where public safety communications professionals look first.  Visit http://www.apcointl.com/services/jobs/ for more information.

From Washington

APCO Adopts 700 MHz Position

APCO International adopted a "700 MHz Position Summary" that has also been adopted by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), of which APCO is a member.  Visit http://www.apcointl.org/news/2007/NPSTCPublicSafety700MHzPositionPaper-07062007.pdf to view the Position Summary.

Conferences and Meetings

Letter from Conference Keynote

Captain Larry Brudnicki addressed APCO International members in a letter.  "Join me in Baltimore and share the experience of the two rescue missions during The Perfect Storm," Brudnicki said.  "I don't have all of the answers, but you may see a different way of looking at things when you are called upon during the next disaster to do what you do best - help save lives and property."  Visit http://www.apcointl.org/ebulletin/APCOLetter.pdf to read the letter.

Special Project MESA Meeting

The Project MESA Steering Committee has scheduled a short series of meetings in Baltimore on Monday, August 6 and Tuesday, August 7.  The meetings will be held in the Hyatt Regency.  The primary purpose of these meetings is to discuss with the public safety user community the Project MESA Statement of Requirements (SoRs) and our partners in industry's interpretation of those requirements in the form of functional requirements.  Visit http://www.apcointl.com/frequency/project25/baltimore.html for more information.

Advanced Registration Ends This Week

Don't wait any longer!! Only a few days left to save on your registration for the APCO International 73rd Annual Conference & Exposition in Baltimore, Md. Simply register online at www.apco2007.org before Friday, July 13.

APCO Comm Center & 9-1-1 Services Resource Room

The Communications Center & 9-1-1 Services Department will host a Resource Room at the annual conference in Baltimore, August 5-9.  The Resource Room will be located in rooms 337 and 338.  Informational topics include Comm Center standards and effective practices, staffing and employee retention, Citizen Observer and Next Generation 9-1-1 issues such as VoIP and other emerging technologies.  There will be presentation from Citizen Observer, Project LOCATE and Project 41: LOCATE - VoIP.  For more information about the Resource Room,
please visit http://www.apcointl.com/about/911/index.php or contact the Comm Center & 9-1-1 Services Staff at 911services@apco911.org.

NJTI at Conference

The National Joint TERT Initiative will host a Resource Room in room 343 at the annual conference in Baltimore, August 5-9.  There will be copies of the Draft Model Recommendations for TERT Deployment (MRTD), Mock Training, information about TERT & NJTI and TERT product information.  For more information about the Resource or the NJTI, please visit www.njti-tert.org or contact NJTIChairs@njti-tert.org.

Chapter Officer Training & Mentoring Course

The Chapter Officer Training and Mentoring Course will be held on Sunday, August 5 between 9:00a.m. and noon in Baltimore at the Convention Center in room 304. This three-hour course is free to members. It provides an overview to the association's workings and is a benefit to any member seeking a leadership position within their chapter or committee participation. Login and pre-register at http://www.apconetforum.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=LoginRequired&Site=APCOWeb and select upcoming events.

New Attendee Orientation

Is this your first annual conference or the first in a long time? Come to this session and we'll help you plan your week in Baltimore.  First time attendees in this session will be entered in a drawing to win an APCO Store gift certificate. Afterward, attendees will be escorted to the First General Business session where they will have preferred seating. The New Attendee Orientation will be held Sunday, August 5 at 4:00p.m. in Baltimore at the Convention Center in rooms 316-317.

Chapter Officer's Workshop

The Chapter Officer's Workshop will be held on Thursday, August 9 between 9:30a.m. and 12:15p.m. in Baltimore in the Convention Center in room 331.  This interactive workshop is focused on chapter activities and how the Membership Team at HQ can support the local activities.  We're going to have a special break-out session dedicated to Chapter Conference Best Practices. Chapter officers should login and pre-register at http://www.apconetforum.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=LoginRequired&Site=APCOWeb and select upcoming events.

Historic Room - Rm. 336

"The Once Upon a Time..." room is where you'll see APCO history unfold before your eyes.  Radio equipment, documents, books, conference pins, publications, coffee mugs, and much more will be on display.  Each year the room gets bigger and better.  Items you've seen before may not be in the room this year as the room content changes from year to year.  Come see what APCO history is all about.

APCO Institute Resource Room

The APCO Institute Resource Room will be located in the Convention Center in room
# 339. There you will be able meet the APCO Institute staff and learn about the training, products and services we have to offer. You will also have the opportunity to preview our current course materials and view live demonstrations of the APCO Multi-Purpose Dispatch Software (MEDS) and the Expectations: Evaluations Software. Learn how you can earn your professional designation as a Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL.) Stop by and meet some of the graduating students and gather information on this exciting program.

Training and Certification

Special Interest Web Seminar - Suicide Bombers - The Future of Domestic Terrorism

APCO will conduct a web seminar titled "Suicide Bombers - The Future of Domestic Terrorism" on August 22 at 2:00p.m. EST. This session will discuss the issues associated with one of the biggest threats looming on the horizon for public safety - domestic suicide bombings. Topics will include the telecommunicator's role in responder safety, explosive event information gathering and resource allocation after detonation. We will also discuss secondary explosions and when first responders become the target.  Visit http://www.apcointl.com/institute/webinars.htm for more information.

Law Enforcement Guidecards Now Available

The APCO Institute is now offering Law Enforcement Dispatch Guidecards. The Law Enforcement Dispatch Guidecards use law enforcement specific information and call handling techniques taught in the APCO Institute's Public Safety Telecommunicator 6th Edition training course and incorporate information provided by subject matter experts in the public safety communications industry. These new guidecards are available in paper and electronic format and can be customized to meet the needs of individual agencies.  Visit http://www.apcointl.com/institute for more information.

Web Seminars

Join the APCO Institute each Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. EST for quality training and fun interaction with your peers. Each web seminar is one hour long and qualifies for one continuing dispatch education (CDE) credit. For more information or to register, log onto the APCO Institute website at http://www.apcointl.com/institute/webinars.htm. The upcoming web seminar is "Problem Solving for Supervisors" on July 18.

Fire Season is Here - Discount Training Offer from the Institute

The 2007 Fire Season has started across the country. The National Fire News reports that there have been 49,857 fires so far this year with over 2,261,484 acres burned to date. The National Preparedness Level is now at 4 based on a scale of 1-5.  The APCO Institute recognizes the need for quality fire communications training and will be offering our Fire Service Communications student manuals for $49 each ending July 31. Tuition will be discounted to $379 for anyone wishing to enroll in the Fire Service Communications Online Instructor course beginning July 18. Visit our website at http://www.apcointl.com/institute/index.htm for registration and order forms.

New Institute Training Schedule

An article titled Homeland Security Training for Dispatchers was published in the May issue of 9-1-1 Magazine. In it the author Mike Scott mentions the APCO Institute's Telecommunicator's Role in Homeland Security Course and the critical role dispatchers play in recognizing terrorist incidents and how this course will assist the telecommunicator in determining that a possible terrorist event has occurred and the appropriate response. This eight-hour course is available for your agency as co-hosted class or as a contract class. Please contact schatelk@apco911.org for details or visit our website at http://www.apcointl.com/institute/training.htm.

Receive High Quality Grant Writing Training at a Discount

Grant Writing USA provides the most highly sought after grants training in America and now, through a partnership with APCO Institute, APCO members can receive a $25 discount upon entering "APCO" when registering for any Grant Writing USA course!  Visit www.grantwritingusa.com to register.

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Attend one of our co-hosted classes!

Public Safety Telecommunicator 1, 6th Edition
Toledo, OH  August 13-17

Communications Training Officer
Las Cruces NM July 18-20  

Communications Center Supervisor 
Baltimore. MD (pre-conference) August 3-5

Fire Service Communications 1st Edition
Albuquerque, NM August 14-17 

Telecommuicator's Role In Homeland Security    
Baltimore, MD (pre-conference) August  5