Supports PSCR research on public safety communications to identify the needs of first responders

Washington, DC, May 15, 2012 – The Global Alliance of the Association for Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Partners and the TETRA Critical Communications Association (TCCA) today announced that they will work together in support of the efforts of the Public Safety Communications Research Laboratories (PSCR), a joint program between the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). By joining forces, the Global Alliance and TETRA endeavor to raise awareness around the need for the development of mission critical public safety communications standards for Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based technology.

Larry Strickling, NTIA Administrator, to Keynote Day One Events; 
Deputy White House CTO Tom Power Featured Speaker on Day Two

Alexandria, Va. – May 1, 2012 – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) today announced that Lawrence Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, and Tom Power, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Telecommunications at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President, will be the featured speakers at the Second Annual Public Safety Broadband Summit and Expo. The Summit and Expo will be held at the Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel on May 14^th and 15^th.

Senators McCain and Lieberman among winners to be honored at APCO’s Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner in May

Daytona Beach, FL—April 25, 2012— Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International has announced the recipients of the 2012 Public Safety Leadership in Policy Awards who will be honored at APCO’s 8^th Annual Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner in Washington, DC on May 15, 2012.

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week is April 8-14, 2012; citizens plan ways to share gratitude with public safety workers

Daytona Beach, FL—April 4, 2012— Communities across the U.S. will recognize those who help save lives in times of personal or national crisis during National Public Safety Telecommunications Week (NPSTW), April 8-14, 2012.

$7 Billion and 20 MHz: Congress Enacts Legislation to Build a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network  

On February 29, APCO International's Government Relations team hosted a free webinar on Title VI of H.R. 3630; Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, covering the public safety spectrum section of the legislation. The webinar is now available for viewing at http://apcointl.org/images/webinar/2012-29-29-20mhz_npsbn.wmv. Presentation materials from the event can be downloaded at http://apcointl.org/images/webinar/hr3630webinar2012feb29.pdf.

APCO’s Project 33 Agency Training Program Certification Open to all Agencies

Daytona Beach, FL—February 28, 2012— The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International’s Project 33 Agency Training Program Certification that recognizes public safety communication centers across the nation is available online.

Alexandria, VA —February 27, 2012— The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International released for comments a Candidate American National Standard (ANS) that identifies the core competencies and minimum training requirements for Public Safety Communications Supervisor.

Registration for APCO Global Congress, held in Dubai 1-3 May 2012, now open

           
2 February 2012 Alexandria, VA USA— For a second year, the APCO Global Congress is backed by Dubai-based Nedaa Corporation, as a Strategic Partner.  Nedaa is a government-run wireless corporation.

January 25, 2012, Daytona Beach, FL - APCO International has received a $50,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation to enable qualified association members with continuing education and training opportunities.

December 7, 2011, Alexandria, Va. - Today, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International congratulated Commissioner Michael Copps for his long tenure as FCC Commissioner and, in a particular, for his strong and consistent support for improving public safety communications.

APCO’s first 5K run/walk benefits Florida emergency first responders

November 10, 2011, Daytona Beach, FL — The first Run for 9-1-1, a 5K run/walk benefiting emergency first responders, is set for January 14, 2012.

APCO Global Congress will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1-3 May 2012

November 9, 2011, Alexandria, VA — The APCO Global Congress is back in 2012 after a successful first year.

November 9, 2011, WASHINGTON, D.C. - Public Safety officials sent a formal letter today to the co-chairs of the U.S. Congress' Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction ("super committee") urging them to include S.911, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011, in deficit reduction legislation under consideration by the supercommittee, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International announced today. The complete letter can be read at www.apcointl.org.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, through its subsidiary Automated Frequency Coordination Inc. (AFC) in partnership with NLECTC Communications Technologies Center of Excellence, is providing consultative and technical support for Computer Assisted Pre-Coordination Resource and Database (CAPRAD) System and administrative support to the 800- and 700-MHz Regional Planning Committees (RPCs) through partnership with National Regional Planning Council (NRPC). The NRPC is a collaborative network consisting of both 700- and 800-MHz public safety Regional Planning Committees as established by the Federal Communications Commission.

The CAPRAD system is a nationwide database for public safety professionals to coordinate the use of and application for frequencies in the 700-MHz band. Because the band is limited and the demand is growing in many parts of the country for spectrum utilization, coordination and cooperation are a must for the benefit of public safety. CAPRAD is separated into three functional segments: an allocation segment that provides for the pre-allocation of the spectrum by region, an application segment which provides interactive and coordinated application for frequencies using the FCC Form 601, and an administrative/reporting segment that provides specialized access for administrative functions.