Today, February 16, is the 56th anniversary of the first 9-1-1 call. Much has changed in the past 56 years, particularly with regard to training, technology, and the nature of the work performed by 9-1-1 professionals. What has remained constant is the dedication, professionalism, and perseverance of the 9-1-1 community and APCO’s commitment to ensuring 9-1-1 professionals have the tools and resources they need. APCO’s legislative and regulatory priorities reflect this devotion to its members and are aimed at advancing the industry and empowering 9-1-1 to save more lives.
APCO’s 9-1-1 Wellness Summit Provides Ideas, Action Plans and Support
Health and wellness in 9-1-1 has been discussed in many formats and the Summit was an opportunity for attendees to share face-to-face, be vulnerable and take home the tools they need to create successful wellness programs back at their agencies.
APCO Welcomes Reintroduction of Important Wellness Legislation, the PROTECT 9-1-1 Act
Today, U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL), Norma Torres (D-CA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), along with several of their colleagues, reintroduced the Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma in 9-1-1 Act, or the ‘‘PROTECT 9-1-1 Act.”
APCO’s 2023 Advocacy Priorities (with one-pagers of talking points)
During the prior session of Congress, APCO made substantial progress on its legislative goals, including coming closer than ever to securing significant federal funding for Next Generation 9‑1‑1. With the start of a new Congress, legislation APCO had been championing will need to be reintroduced, and we’ll seek to build upon the momentum to get these bills passed into law. This blog describes APCO’s legislative priorities, APCO’s efforts, and next steps.
Talking Points for APCO’s Legislative Priorities
APCO members often contact us to ask for talking points to prepare for meetings with their U.S. Senators and Representatives. Having accurate talking points to speak from – or leave with the congressional staffers you meet with – can ensure that you use your meeting time efficiently and are prepared to answer key questions about the issues. Following up on the blog describing APCO’s advocacy priorities for 2022, here are talking points for our top legislative issues: 1) securing federal funding for Next Generation 9-1-1; 2) correcting the federal classification of public safety telecommunicators; and 3) funding health and wellness programs for 9-1-1 professionals.
APCO International’s Public Safety Communications Priorities for the New Year
The following is a list of our advocacy priorities for the coming year. Despite much progress and several wins that APCO members should be proud of since we announced our 2021 legislative and regulatory priorities, there is still significant work to be done for public safety communications.
