Welcome Message from President Galway

Click here to read a letter from NENA President Rick Galway, ENP about his agenda for the coming year.More

Authors Sought for NENA's New Magazine

The Call is the new quarterly peer-reviewed journal published by NENA. Individuals are invited to submit manuscripts for publication consideration beginning with the second issue, scheduled for publication in November 2011. The theme of that issue will be “Contingency Planning.” In addition, NENA chapters and members are invited to submit other news and information for inclusion in The Call, such as "Member Spotlight" and "Chapter News", which will become regular features. These submissions will not be subject to the peer-review process.

Manuscripts may address any of the full range of technical and operations issues in emergency communications, such as Wireless and VoIP technology, NG9-1-1 transition and implementation, GIS and location technology, PSAP operations, public education, training, legislation and policy. Readers are expected to include practitioners, administrators, researchers, policy analysts, educators, and students.

Manuscripts should not exceed 20 double-spaced pages and should follow current American Psychological Association (APA) style. Further instructions for authors can be found at by clicking here.

Manuscripts may be submitted electronically: send the document as an e-mail attachment to the Chair of the Publications Committee for consideration. The submission deadline for the November issue is August 3, 2011.

For more information, please contact Steve O'Conor, Chair, Publications Committee, or visit The Call’s webpage.More

Couldn't Make It To NENA 2011? Find Out What You Missed!

The NENA 2011 Live Learning Center provides you with online, on-demand access to audio and synchronized presentation materials from nearly every Educational Track Session at NENA 2011. That’s more than 80 hours of education at the click of a mouse! Plus, you can download the sessions as MP3s for on-the-go learning! Priced at just $349 for NENA Members, the LLC provides a great opportunity to gain valuable knowledge about the latest issues and trends in public safety.

Click here to visit the Live Learning Center. More

NENA 2011 in Photographs

Check out NENA’s flickr page to view hundreds of pictures from NENA 2011, including the general sessions, networking events, educational breakouts, and more!More

NENA 30th Anniversary Commemorative Challenge Coin

In the form of a keepsake medallion, the tradition of awarding challenge coins originated in the military, and NENA is pleased to continue this tradition. Limited to 300, each of these numbered coins displays the association’s 30th anniversary logo on one side, and the new NENA logo on the reverse with the words “Celebrating 30 Years of 9-1-1 Leadership.”

A very, very limited quantity of these special coins sold at NENA 2011 has been put aside for sale in the NENA Webstore for $30 each plus shipping, and all proceeds will benefit the NENA Foundation.

Visit the NENA Webstore to purchase your coin and support the goals of the NENA Foundation. More

Center Manager Certification Program Coming to Michigan, Tennessee, and Ontario!

NENA’s Center Manager Certification Program (CMCP) is designed to equip recently-hired, newly-promoted, and aspiring PSAP and 9-1-1 Authority managers and supervisors with the tools needed to effectively manage their agency through a rigorous 40-hour course of lecture and lab-based education. For more seasoned 9-1-1 professionals, the CMCP may serve to fill in some of the gaps and strengthen core competencies required in emergency communications center management.

The CMCP, unlike many other upper-level emergency communications training programs, utilizes a real-world, hands-on approach that is focused on topics encountered daily by managerial and supervisory level personnel: Business Writing,Financial Management, Human Resources, Legal Issues, and Communications Skills. With a curriculum built by current and former 9-1-1 center managers with decades of combined supervisory and training experience, the program will provide you with knowledge and skills that can immediately and drastically improve your on-the-job effectiveness and enhance your agency’s everyday operations.

Click here to register for any of the upcoming CMCPs in Marshall, MI (Aug 8-12); Kingsport, TN (Sept 24-28); or Burlington, ON (Oct 17-21).

Visit the CMCP webpage for more information on the program, including an outline, course materials, prerequisites, and pricing.

Any agency, county, state, or NENA Chapter wishing to offer the Center Manager Certification Program should contact NENA's Education Program Manager, Chris Nussman, for more information. More

Like Us on Facebook

NENA now has an official Facebook page! If you’re already on Facebook, be sure to “like” us so that you can stay on top of NENA’s latest news and events postings and keep in touch with your fellow Members.

Click here to visit the NENA Facebook page.More

Looking for Tweets from NENA?

NENA now has a Twitter account! You can follow us to get the latest updates from the association and the world of emergency communications - all in 140 characters or less.

Click here to follow us on Twitter.More

Upcoming Deadlines

Fall ENP Exam Application Deadline – September 12, 2011More

New NENA Operations Requirement Document Approved by the NENA Board

NG9-1-1 System and PSAP Operational Features and Capabilities Requirements, NENA 57-750, Version 1, June 14, 2011 has been NENA Board approved and posted to the NENA website.

Significant work is currently underway to enable the 9-1-1 system to transition from telephone-based voice only systems to a fully interoperable Internet Protocol (IP) based, multimedia Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system capable of supporting a variety of different communications devices and protocols. This document contains a list of operational capabilities or features that are expected to be supported in a standards-based NG9-1-1 system. The capabilities described within this document represent minimum levels of required functionality.

Click here for the document. More

NENA Supports the AT&T and T-Mobile Merger

On Monday, NENA filed a letter with the FCC endorsing the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA. This action, approved at the Executive Board’s March 28th meeting in Washington, D.C., recognizes AT&T’s historical commitment to advancing 9-1-1 service and the benefits of expanded coverage and higher broadband speeds that the public safety community and consumers will realize from the merger.

A copy of the endorsement letter is available here. More

FCC: Rulemaking on 911 Texts Coming Soon
NextGov
Legwork is complete on the first draft of regulations implementing a "next-generation 9-1-1" system that can accept text messages, a Federal Communications Commission official told lawmakers last week, adding that commissioners' approval is all that is needed. "I know it's very high on the chairman's list and on the commissioners' lists, so we're hoping it will be out before the end of the calendar year, maybe significantly before that," FCC Public Safety Chief James Barnett told a House panel on emergency preparedness.More

911 Fees Eyed for Prepaid Phones
Athens Banner-Herald
Emergency 911 services in Oconee County, Ga., could see a little fiscal relief next year when revenue from a new fee for prepaid wireless phones starts rolling in.People calling from land lines or cellphones under contract already are taxed to support 911 service, but prepaid wireless users have never had to pay the fee.More

South Dakota's Switch to Digital Emergency Radio Drags On
Mitchell Republic
The drive for better statewide emergency communications in South Dakota is clashing with funding and technology issues. In the aftermath of the 1998 Spencer tornado, then-Gov. Bill Janklow set a goal of creating an interoperable communications system to improve the sharing of information among state and local emergency responders. The resulting digital communications system created by the state is still a work in progress, but it has been doing its job. More

Rockefeller Wants D Block Reallocation Included in Deficit-reduction Legislation
Urgent Communications
With Congress focused on deficit reduction, a key senator is advocating that legislation that would reallocate the 700 MHz D Block to public safety and largely fund the deployment of a nationwide LTE network for first responders be part of a bill designed to help address the nation’s budget woes. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is co-sponsor of S.911, bipartisan legislation that is co-sponsored by committee ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and was approved by the committee in a convincing 21-4 vote last month. The bill has not been scored by the Congressional Budget Office and has not been scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.More

Help Wanted

Be sure to visit NENA’s Job Postings page for available Emergency Communications positions around the country. Some of the most recent jobs posted include:

Dispatcher – Lakewood, CO

Deputy Director of Emergency Communications – Rochester, NY

Network Analyst – El Paso, TX

Click here for information on any of the postings above, and to find additional openings!More

URISA/NENA Addressing Conference

The URISA/NENA 2011 Addressing Conference is the only event where GIS professionals; addressing coordinators; and 9-1-1 and emergency response specialists come together for education and networking. This year’s conference will be held August 15 – 18, 2011 at the New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, LA and focus on the below tracks:

Integrating Addresses Across the Enterprise
A well-conceived addressing system involves cooperation and builds relationships for both public and private organizations. The addressing system must be easily understood, accepted and used by everyone. Any successful addressing system must include the cooperation of all stakeholders and the United States Postal Service (USPS). A strong maintenance program is also essential for maintaining the integrity of the addressing system. This track will cover case studies, best practice solutions, and training for the establishment and maintenance of a successful addressing strategy. With the adoption of the FGDC Address Standard, coordination of address data can be organized to benefit everyone.

Looking Ahead: Next Generation 9-1-1 Standards and Practices
Proper addressing is crucial to public safety. Being able to quickly locate a 9-1-1 call, and dispatch an emergency responder to the correct location may mean the difference between life and death. Today most calls to 9-1-1 come in from wireless phones, which only provides an approximation of the caller's location. Being able to quickly and accurately locate the caller and send emergency responders depends on high quality address and related information. With Next Generation 9-1-1, addressing becomes even more critical. Come learn how to improve your addressing to meet the needs of public safety, while meeting the needs of all other organizations and entities with improved addressing practices.

It's All About Data: Address Data Quality and Exchange
Quality is the critical component in every address-related business function. Address data is at the core of many, if not most, government activities, ranging from the time-critical emergency dispatch to the more static voter registration and utility meter location data. Increasingly, states and the federal government are working with address point and range data linking address-based information for complex statistical analyses. At all levels, poor data quality costs everyone. It slows response time, requires repeated research, and creates costs in lost time, fuel consumption, and rework. This track will explore ways in which improvements in address quality and exchange can improve overall government efficiency, economy and effectiveness.

You may register online or download a registration form.

Enter these discount codes at checkout to receive the discounted NENA Member rate:

• If you are registering for the conference & a workshop: NENA2011-2
• If you are registering for the conference only: NENA2011-1
• If you are registering for one day only: NENA2011-3
• Call 1-847-824-6300 to register over the phone

Save the Dates: 2012 TDC/ODC & GTW

• TDC/ODC - February 5-8, 2012 - Caribe Royale - Orlando, FL
• 9-1-1 Goes to Washington - March 25-28, 2012 - L'Enfant Plaza Hotel - Washington, DC

Chapter Conferences

Arizona NENA/APCO State Training Conference – July 17-20 – Litchfield Park, AZ

9-1-1 National Public Educator Forum Conference – Aug 1-2 – Fort Worth, TX

Texas NENA Annual Conference and Awards – August 21-24 – Corpus Christi, TX

North Carolina NENA/APCO Conference – August 28-September 1 – Atlantic Beach, NC

Kentucky Emergency Services Conference – September 6-9 – Louisville, KY – Call for Papers

Tennessee NENA Conference – September 25-28 – Kingsport, TN

WI-NENA Conference – October 23-26 – Wisconsin Dells, WI

Oklahoma 9-1-1 Public Safety Conference – October 24-26 – Tulsa, OK – Call for Papers

Missouri APCO-NENA Conference – March 18-21, 2012 – Lake Ozark, MO – Call for PapersMore

Upcoming Education Courses

9-1-1 Center Consolidation
07.22.11 – Seattle, WA

Achieving Excellence in 9-1-1 Center Management
09.24/25.11 – Tennessee NENA Conf. – Kingsport, TN

Customer Service for 9-1-1 Professionals
07.19.11 – Bowie, MD
07.20.11 – Easton, MD

Introduction to 9-1-1 Database
08.15.11 – UNAC Conf. – New Orleans, LA

Leadership in the 9-1-1 Center
09.28.11 – Bangor, ME

From Ostrich to Eagle: Improving the PSAP Work Culture
08.28.11 – NC NENA Conf. – Atlantic Beach, NC
09.21.11 – Keystone (PA) NENA Conf. – State College, PA

Transition to Next Generation 9-1-1
08.15.11 – UNAC Conf. – New Orleans, LA

More Summer and Fall classes being confirmed! Please check back in the next email blast for additional upcoming courses.

For more information on scheduling a NENA course in your area, please contact Chris Nussman, NENA’s Education Programs Manager, at cnussman@nena.org.

Please contact NENA with any questions and/or comments. We welcome suggestions to improve our email blast!More