APCO News

Volunteer as a Local Advisor

APCO AFC is actively searching for individuals seeking to become volunteer Local Advisors in their respective states.  To be eligible, you must work for a public safety agency and have a basic understanding of land mobile radio communications.  To be considered, please email your resumes to latiff@apco911.org or fax to the attention of Farokh Latif, Acting Director, AFC, Inc. at 386-322-2502.

World Standards Day - October 18

In today's changing economy, industry, government, standards developing organizations, and other groups need to work together to ensure that U.S. products and services are accepted in the marketplace, thereby enhancing U.S. leadership abroad.  APCO International, as an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) realizes the importance of standards to our members and the public safety community and urges each of you to participate in standard development activities.  Last month, APCO received approval from ANSI for its first American National Standard, The Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officer (CTO).  APCO also has active representation on ANSI's Homeland Security Standards Panel, Health IT Standards Panel, and Identity Theft Standards Panel.  For more information on APCO Standards Activities, visit www.apcostandards.org.

Is the FCC Radio Licensing Process Weighing you Down?

Every day, public safety applications are being delayed or rejected due to paperwork errors. Many public safety agencies lack the full time expertise to properly maintain their FCC licenses to operate their radio system.  Your FCC license gives your agency the rights and privileges to operate on assigned frequencies.  Don't risk losing the most important resources keeping your agency in operation.  Let APCO AFC help you obtain your FCC license, keep it and nurture it. APCO-AFC will be conducting a web seminar on various services provided by AFC on November 14 at 2:00 PM EST.  To learn more or to register please visit http://www.apcointl.com/institute/webinars.htm.  For more information on AFCs License Management Services, please visit "Managing Your License" at www.apcointl.org/frequency/licmgmt.html.

Conferences and Meetings

Registration for the 5th Annual Winter Summit is Open

Register early and save!  To begin your registration and to find out more about this year's Summit please visit www.apcointl.com/wintersummit2008.

Western Regional Call for Papers

The New Mexico Chapter is looking for quality speakers to present on a variety of topics at the Western Regional Conference to be held in Albuquerque, NM in March 2008. We are looking for speakers that are of interest to dispatchers, supervisory staff, and management topics addressing training needs, motivation, officer down response, local crisis response, technical issues and other current issues.  If you are interested in participating as a speaker, please send information to theyoungs123@msn.com attention Elaine, Program Chair.  Additional information can be found at www.nmpsta.org.  The deadline for submissions is November 30.

Illinois Chapter 23rd Annual 9-1-1 Conference

The Illinois Chapters of APCO and NENA in cooperation with the Illinois Commerce Commission will hold their 23rd Annual 9-1-1 Conference October 21- 24 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, IL. For information on this exciting event visit us at http://www.911conference.org/.

2007 Alaska Symposium for Emergency Communications

The first ever Alaska Symposium for Emergency Communications (ASEC) brought to you by the Alaska Chapters of NENA, APCO and NLECTC-NW will be held October 22-24.  Visit http://www.alaskaapco.org/ for more information.

West Virginia Chapter Conference

The West Virginia Chapter is meeting for training and a vendor show October 22-26 at the Canaan Resort and Conference Center.  Please contact Connie Thomaschek at 304-623-6559 cthomaschek@harrco911.org for registration and more information.

Region 18 (LA) 700 MHz Public Safety Planning Committee Meeting

The Region 18 (Louisiana) 700 MHz Public Safety Planning Committee announces its next two meetings.  The meetings are scheduled as follows: October 24 at 9:00 a.m. at The Carter Plantation, 23475 Carter Trace, Springfield, Louisiana, and; November 14 at 10:00 a.m. at the at the State Claiborne Bldg, 1-155 North Dakota Room, 1201 N 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The purpose of these meetings will be to review, discuss, and approve the latest draft of the 700 MHz Region 18 plan.  For more information contact William R. Vincent, Sr. at 337.291.5060 or eoc@lafayettegov.net.

Region 14 (IN) 700 MHz Region Planning Committee Meetings

The Region 14 (Indiana) 700 MHz Region Planning Committee will hold meetings on October 24 at 1:00 p.m. (EST) in the training room of the Greensburg Police Department, 201 South Broadway, Greensburg, IN 47240, and on December 12 at 1:00 p.m. (EST) at the Indiana State Police Communications Division Training Room, 8500 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN.  Visit http://region14rpc.googlepages.com/ for more information.

2007 Atlantic Chapter Conference

The Atlantic Chapter announces world renowned forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee will be  presenting one of its "Supersessions" at the 2007 Atlantic Chapter Conference and Business Meeting being held at the Mystic Marriott in Mystic, Conn. October 29-31.  Visit http://www.apco-atlantic.org/ for more information.

Wyoming Chapter Announces Annual Conference

The Wyoming Chapter Annual Conference will be held November 13-14 at the Holiday Inn in Casper, Wyoming.  Contact Bill Gordon at tpdadmin@hscounty.com for more information.

Montana Chapter Conference

The Montana Chapter of APCO is holding its 2007 conference on November 15 and 16 in Great Falls, Montana at the Best Western Heritage Inn. For more information, including attendee and vendor registration forms, visit http://www.mtapco.org/. For more information contact Kimberly Burdick at kburdick@mtapco.org or President Susan Bomstad at sbomstad@mtapco.org.

Training and Certification

Continuing Education Discount

We recognize the need for continuing education and will be offering a significant discount on select titles from our "Training in a Box" series every month. The titles will be packaged to meet specific training needs for EMD, supervisors, call handling techniques, liability issues and HAZMAT and fire calls. The cost for each package will range from $99 for the three-title package and up to $125 for the five-title package. Each title contains a 1-2 hour lesson, complete with PowerPoint and student test. For additional information on the "Training in a Box" Series please visit http://www.apcointl.com/institute/products_publications.htm. The October Series - Three Titles for $99 including Shipping and Handling - includes Concepts of Legal Liability, Liability Issues for Public Safety Telecommunicators, and EMD Legal Issues.

Share Your Knowledge by Way of a Web Seminar

Do you have a subject or training topic that is of special interest and that you would like to share? The APCO Institute is seeking new areas of interest to present for our Web Seminar Series each Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. A fun and effortless way to share information without leaving your desk. All presenters are compensated for their time by the APCO Institute. If interested, please contact schatelk@apco911.org for details.

New Institute Training Schedule

APCO Institute will be introducing a regional training program in the fall of 2007. All of  the Institute's certification courses will be offered in select locations throughout the country, thus allowing agencies to plan in advance for their training needs. If your agency would like to participate and has a facility that will accommodate large groups and will be available for a minimum of three weeks, please email schatelk@apco911.org.

North Central Region Training Schedule

Bolingbrook, IL - October 15-17 - CCSC
Papillion, NE - November 6-8 - CTO
Westerville, OH - December 3-5 - CTO
Deerfield, IL - March 7, 2008 - Homeland Security

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   http://www.grantwritingusa.com/ to register.

Web Seminars

Join the APCO Institute each Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. 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 title is Media Relations for Today's Comm. Center on October 24.

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Click here for more information.  

Click here for info on the Winter Summit.

Click here for info on Project RETAINS.

Click here for info on TERT.

Click here for the Calendar of Events.

Click here for frequency coordination information.

Click here for rebanding information.

Click here for APCO publications.

Attend one of our co-hosted classes! 

Communications Training Officer
South Windsor, CT November 6-8
Papillion, NE  Dec. 3-5
Westerville, OH   Dec. 3-5 
Effingham, SC   Dec. 5-7
  
Communications Center Supervisor 
Papillion, NE  November 6-8 
Jacksonville, FL   Jan. 14-16

Telecommuicator's Role In Homeland Security    
Deerfield, IL  March 7-08

Emergency Medical Dispatch Instructor
Bedford, VA  November 12-16