NENA Announces Text-to-9-1-1 Webinar for Feb. 26

Text-to-9-1-1: Everything You Need to Know
Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 3PM Eastern (live) or On Demand
$50 (NENA Members) | $85 (Non-Members)
Click here to register!

With the nation's four major wireless carriers committed to making text-to-9-1-1 available to PSAPs in May of this year, 9-1-1 Authority and PSAP personnel need to understand this new service from both the technological and operations perspectives. Attend this hour-long webinar for a can't-miss primer on the issue, with discussion focusing on:

• Why text-to-9-1-1 is needed now
• Why SMS is being used and why it is "interim"
• How, generally, SMS text-to-9-1-1 can be expected to work
• PSAP training and public education
• Implementation planning and considerations
• How to request service from carriers
• Testing
• Ongoing operations

Can't attend on the 26th? Register now and receive on-demand access to the webinar archive.

Webinar Access Info
Dial-in and web-access details will be provided to attendees via email the week of the webinar.

 

Free On-Demand Webinar - Working With Congress: Making Your Voice Heard in Washington

Click here to watch!

As we gear up for this year’s edition of 9-1-1 Goes to Washington, join NENA’s Director of Government Affairs, Trey Forgety, for a fast primer on how to work with your representatives in Congress. This FREE webinar will cover critical questions about influencing the legislative process:

1. Who’s Who on Congressional Staffs
2. What – and Who – to ask for when requesting a meeting
3. When to make your request/When’s the best time to meet
4. Where congressional meetings take place
5. Why we need YOUR voice at 9-1-1 Goes to Washington
6. How to get information on your members and the key staffers who can make or break your case

With the skills and tools covered in this webinar, you’ll be ready to take on "the Hill" with confidence and poise – and a serious sit-down meeting already in your planner.

 

Register Today for 9-1-1 Goes to Washington

9-1-1 Goes to Washington brings together hundreds of 9-1-1 professionals from around the country with policy leaders in our nation's capital to explore and discuss today's most pressing 9-1-1 and emergency communications issues. 9-1-1 Goes to Washington is the only event where you can learn about the policy challenges facing public safety and take immediate action to address them through dialog with your elected and appointed officials.

Join us from March 23-26 in Arlington, VA, just steps from our nation's capital, for a dynamic, interactive three-day program where you will receive:

• The inside information you need to help shape the 9-1-1 and emergency communications agenda for the Administration and Congress.

• Critical knowledge of current, proposed, and needed federal and state 9-1-1, homeland security, and emergency communications legislation, regulation, and initiatives. 

• An opportunity to talk directly with Members of Congress, Administration officials, and their staff to make your voice heard on behalf of the entire 9-1-1 community.

Click here to view the event agenda. Click here to register online. Click here to book your hotel room.

 

Sign Up for the First Annual "Run for 9-1-1!"

On the morning of Saturday, June 14, kick off your NENA 2014 experience by lacing up your running or walking shoes and participating in the Friends of 9-1-1 first-ever "Run for 9-1-1" charity 5k!
 
The run/walk promotes healthy living among 9-1-1 professionals, gives the Nashville community and supporters from around the country a chance to say "thank you" to 9-1-1, and generates funds for scholarships and 9-1-1 training opportunities.
 
When: Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 7AM

Start Location:  Bridgestone Arena, 5th and Broadway

Route includes: Bridgestone Arena, Music City Center, Midtown, and Music Row

Registration Fees:

• $30 Now – 5/2/2014
• $35 5/3 – 6/13/2014
• $40 Race Day
• $100 for a team of five

Awards: Every participant will receive a complimentary t-shirt and medal for completion, grand prizes for Top 3 Finishers Male and Female, and giveaways for all!!

Sign up for the race today! Registration is available for both individual and teams! Sign up as a chapter, an agency/company, a committee, or just as friends!  Participating as a group can make the event even more fun, and teams save on registration fees! 

Can’t join the run/walk but still want to participate?  Join the race virtually by becoming a Friend of 9-1-1 Fundraiser!

Learn more about the Friends of 9-1-1 program at www.friendsof911.org.

 

Register Today for the NENA 2014 Conference & Expo

At NENA 2014 (June 14-19 in Nashville, TN)  you will not only hear about the public safety issues of the present and the future, but also gain practical, real world know-how that you can take home with you and put into action immediately. No matter what your role is in public safety, NENA 2014 delivers the education, resources, and contacts you need to be better-equipped to do your job and actively prepare for the road ahead.

Featuring inspiring keynote speakers, dozens of education and training sessions designed to inform and empower, comprehensive full-day and multi-day courses and workshops with real-world applications, unparalleled opportunities to network with peers and make the right connections, and an expo hall showcasing cutting-edge products and services, NENA 2014 is the must-attend event of the year for today’s emergency communications professional. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of it!

And don’t forget: Every full-conference registration includes unlimited online, on-demand access to more than 90 hours of audio recordings and synchronized slide presentations from every education session at NENA 2014!
 
Click here to register online or here to download a paper form.

Click here to make your housing reservations today. With two new hotels just added and many hotels already close to being sold out, be sure to book soon to get the best possible rate at your hotel of choice!

 

Plan Now to Attend NENA Training Programs in 2014

Looking to get more out of your career? Want to stay on top of the latest in emergency communications? Need continuing education credits? NENA’s education program has just what you are looking for! We've already scheduled dozens of educational opportunities for you in 2014 and are adding more to the calendar every day! Upcoming offerings include:

• NENA Center Manager Certification Program in New Jersey
• NENA Center Manager Certification Program in Ohio
• NENA Education Summit in Illinois (hosted by Motorola)

Our courses and certification programs, developed and lead by experts in the field, provide relevant, informative, and up-to-date training on all aspects of 9-1-1 technology and PSAP operations. Check out the current list of classes toward the end of this email or view it online. Contact Ty Wooten if you would like to book a class in your area or if you have any questions.

And don't forget to like our new NENA Education & Training Facebook page for the latest news and announcements!

 

2014 NENA Membership Recruitment & Rewards Program

As an active member, you know the value of NENA membership. Spread the word to peers and coworkers, and earn great prizes and continuing education opportunities. 
   
How it Works  
Participation has never been easier. Simply log in to nena.org, click on the Refer a Friend link from the "My NENA Account" menu on the left-hand side of the screen, and send out your personal referral link to invite friends and colleagues to join online. This exciting new feature even allows you to track your invitations and rewards points along the way! For those recruits who choose to sign up using NENA's printable membership application, make sure they include your name in the "Referred by" line of the application.  
   
The more you recruit, the greater the prize!   
Every eligible member who recruits at least one (1) new member between Jan. 1, 2014, and March 31, 2014, will receive an exclusive NENA member pen. Recruit as many new members as possible to reach new recruiter levels and earn rewards and valuable education opportunities including complimentary course, CMCP, and Annual Conference registration. 

Start recruiting today! Visit the Member Recruitment page for full program details.  

 

Not Receiving NENA Mail?

Make sure the addresses (email and postal) that we have on file for you are current! Please log in to your online member account to verify or update your information, or send an email to Bri Robinson.

 

Education Advisory Board Applications Due This Friday!

The departure of an Education Advisory Board (EAB) member has created a vacancy on the committee. NENA is looking to fill the open seat with a NENA member in good standing who possess the desire and dedication to become part of the team charged with carrying out NENA’s educational mission. For more details, please see the Statement of Purpose and Duties for EAB Members, the EAB Candidate Application & Questionnaire, and the Applicant Information Submission Instructions. All documentation from applicants must be received by NENA Education and PSAP Operations Director Ty Wooten by close of business on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, in order to be considered for the position.

 

Spring ENP Exam Registration Closes March 10

Add your name to the list of more than 1,200 ENPs! If you are eligible to sit for the ENP examination, now is the time to consider preparing for the next examination period to be held in April. The Spring 2014 window for the ENP Examination is from April  5 - April 19.  The deadline to register is March 10. Please go to www.nena.org/enp to learn more about how to become an ENP and to sign up for the Spring ENP Examination.

 

2014-2015 Executive Board Nominations Due March 14

NENA is pleased to open the nominations process for our 2014-2015 Executive Board election! This election will be for the following positions: Second Vice President, Southeastern Regional Director, Western Regional Director, and Private Sector Director. All nominees must be current members in good standing and current Emergency Number Professionals (ENPs). Nominees for the position of Regional Director must reside in the region they wish to represent.

Nomination / Election Documents:

• Nomination Form - PDF
• Executive Board Statement of Responsibilities - PDF
• Request for Paper Ballot - PDF

The nomination deadline is March 14, 2014. Contact Bri Robinson with any questions about the nomination process, eligibility requirements, or general election details.

 

McMurray Scholarship Applications Due March 14

NENA has established a scholarship program to honor the commitment of William "Bill" McMurray, ENP, Past President, to the mission of NENA and 9-1-1 education. The Scholarship will be awarded for the NENA 2014 Conference & Expo, and includes conference registration fee and four (4) nights of lodging at a conference hotel (to be determined by NENA upon awarding of scholarship). Travel expenses to and from the conference and meals are not included in this award.

Please visit the scholarship webpage for information about the criteria, application procedure, and responsibilities. All applications must be returned to NENA headquarters by COB March 14, 2014.

 

Stanton Award Nominations Due March 28

The William E. Stanton Award is NENA's highest honor. It is bestowed upon an individual who has not only excelled in his or her everyday job, but has gone above and beyond to further NENA's goals. Nominations for this prestigious annual award are now open.

Click here for additional information on the award, including criteria, past recipients, and the nomination form. Deadline for nominations is March 28, 2014.

 

NENA Member Spotlight: Chris Knights, Regional Sales Consultant, GeoComm

This new special feature will highlight individual NENA Members from various backgrounds, industry segments, experience, and geographic locations. It offers members an opportunity to share their story with their colleagues and the greater NENA community. Click here to email NENA Member Services Director Bri Robinson if we should feature you or someone you know.

NENA: Why did you choose a career in public safety?

Chris Knights: Well, it’s funny how life goes sometimes. I think it was more like "public safety" chose me. I started out in the GIS field after college and then shifted to IT sales. Then I was fortunate to find my niche in public safety by serving in a sales capacity for a small handful of very reputable public safety technology companies that all blended well with my growing experience in wireless, telephony, and GIS systems.

NENA: What do you like best about your job?

CK: I love the people that are in our industry and the fact that I can help consult with agencies about improving their technology to better serve the public. It is very rewarding to see the finished product installed in PSAPs that is used every single day to help locate distressed callers and those seeking assistance from 9-1-1. To be able to supply accurate map data and software gives the call takers, dispatchers, and emergency managers the confidence that they WILL be able to find a caller quickly. Providing these life-saving tools gives me satisfaction that we are ultimately helping to save lives. How many other people can say that? Not many.

Click here to read more from Chris's interview...

 

NENA Hearing Standards for Telecommunicators Document Available for Public Review & Comment

NENA Hearing Standards for Telecommunicators (formerly NENA 54-002) (DRAFT) is available for a 15 Business Day Public Review and Comment starting Feb. 14, 2014, and ending on March 7, 2014, at 5PM ET. This standard includes information including: Telecommunicator position requirements, audiometric testing of candidates and employees, audiology, and Americans with Disabilities Act as it relates to employment.

All comments shall be submitted by clicking here and then selecting "add a comment" just above the title "Document Details." Ensure the section labeled "Email Notifications" has nothing checked. Please complete all requested data and "Save" OR if submitting multiple comments, select "Save and Add Another."

Any questions or concerns with submitting your comments, please contact the NENA Committee Resource Manager.

 

Respondents Sought for Task Overload Survey

As a result of increasing demands on PSAPs associated with increased call volume, new technologies, budget constraints, and staffing shortages, the PSAP Ops Committee – Task Overload Workgroup was formed and has been tasked with identifying the concurrent number of tasks that can be completed by a Telecommunicator, a recommended method for testing multi-tasking capabilities as part of a pre-employment screening, as well as the effects on multi-tasking and overload on a Telecommunicator in order to provide mitigation techniques. The workgroup is encouraging feedback via an online survey from the PSAP community to examine the following areas:

• Impact of budget cuts/or lack of budget increases on PSAP staffing levels
• Current service level benchmarks and methods for determining
• Current methods and effectiveness of pre-employment screening
• Current methods utilized by PSAPs for job analysis to determine where improvements can be made to distribute tasks more evenly
• Impact on service levels and other performance measurements due to PSAP overload
• Impact on employee retention, performance, and stress due to individual task overload

We encourage PSAP managers to participate in this survey so that we may provide a well-rounded recommendation to the NENA members and 9-1-1 PSAPs as a whole to aid in the implementation of NG9-1-1.    

Click here for the survey.

 

Coming Soon: SMS Text-to-9-1-1 Information & Planning Guide

It is obvious that the ability to text to 9-1-1 is very desirable for deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disability citizens in our country, and its availability is overdue. A comprehensive SMS Text-to-9-1-1 Information and Planning Guide for Public Safety management will become available this week. This document provides information on topics including why SMS is being used for interim text for 9-1-1, PSAP training, public education, why Public Safety should implement SMS text-to-9-1-1 soon, how it works, planning for the service, including background and considerations, and how to request and implement the service. The Guide is expected to be available on several websites, including NENA’s nena.org, the FCC website, the National 9-1-1 Office website, and others. This Information and Planning Guide has been developed by a national stakeholder Service Coordination Group, with the objective of providing a common set of information on the subject, and avoiding multiple variations and confusion.  Any questions can be directed to Roger Hixson.

 

From the NJTI Newsletter - Pandemic: Coming to a PSAP Near You

Local, state, and national media has blasted our televisions and radios about how the 2014 flu season is not discriminating only against the elderly this year. It is attacking our young, middle-aged, and elderly. Thirty-five states have reported widespread influenza and 20 have reported high levels of influenza-like illness. With the threats of a pandemic coming to your PSAP, the question of the day is "Are you ready"?

• Does your PSAP have a Pandemic Plan?
• Has staff been trained and educated on implementing the Plan?
• Can you identify existing tools and resources to support the PSAP during a pandemic?
• Are 9-1-1 personnel aware of the overall emergency action plan?
• Have you addressed infection control training for 9-1-1 personnel?
• Have you addressed how you will staff different positions based on skill level needs?

If not, it's not too late. Mitigation is key and if it's predictable, it's preventable. Preparing for Pandemic Influenza: Recommendations for Protocol Development for 9-1-1 Personnel and Public Safety Answering Points, by the U.S. Department of Transportation can prepare your PSAP and your personnel. The document provides a framework for pandemic influenza planning and delivery of emergency care and 9-1-1 services during an influenza pandemic.   

Click here to read more from the NJTI Newsletter.

 

Get the Emergency Communications News That Really Matters With Public Safety SmartBrief

NENA recently launched a FREE email news service called Public Safety SmartBrief. It provides a weekly summary of news, trends, and updates on public safety issues - not just 9-1-1, but police, fire, and EMS. Knowledgeable editors handpick key articles from hundreds of publications, summarize them, and provide direct links to the original sources.

 

Enhanced Career Center Now Available

 

Budget Now to Attend...

 

Bob Woodruff to Keynote NENA 2014

 

Two New Hotels Added to NENA 2014 Block

 

Save the Dates...

03.23-26.14 | 9-1-1 Goes to Washington | Arlington, VA

06.14-19.14 | NENA 2014 Conference & Expo | Nashville, TN

10.05-08.14 | NENA Development Conference | Orlando, FL

10.04-07.15 | NENA Development Conference | Austin, TX

10.02-05.16 | NENA Development Conference | Austin, TX

 

02.26.14 - Webinar Wednesday - Text-to-9-1-1: Everything You Need to Know - Online Live or On-Demand - Register here!

02.24-28.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Parsippany, NJ - Register here!

03.10-14.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Marysville, OH - Register here!

03.23.14 - Leadership in the 9-1-1 Center - Arlington, VA (9-1-1 Goes to Washington)

03.31-04.04.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Pikesville, MD

04.11.14 - Liability Issues in the 9-1-1 Center - Schaumburg, IL (NENA Education Summit) - Register here!

04.12.14 - Caught in the Middle: A Guide to Middle Management - Schaumburg, IL (NENA Education Summit) - Register here!

04.13.14 - Overcoming Negativity in the Comm Center - Schaumburg, IL (NENA Education Summit) - Register here!

04.28.14 - Quality Assurance Beyond Call Taking - Orlando, FL (IAED Navigator)

04.29.14 - Caught in the Middle: A Guide to Middle Management - Orlando, FL (IAED Navigator)

05.12-16.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Seattle, WA

05.14.14 - From Ostrich to Eagle: Improving the PSAP Work Culture - Virginia Beach, VA (VA NENA Conference)

05.18.14 - Change Management in 9-1-1 - Lansing, MI - Register here!

06.11-15.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)
06.14.14 - Training the 9-1-1 Trainer - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.14.14 - Supervisory Development: A Guide to Moving Ahead in Your Career - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.14-15.14 - SOP SOS - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.14.14 - Interpersonal Skills - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.15.14 - Liability Issues in the 9-1-1 Center - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.15.14 - Comm Center Staffing Workshop - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.15.14 - Caught in the Middle: A Guide to Middle Management - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.15.14 - Developing a Quality Assurance Program from Call to End of Incident - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

06.15.14 - Understanding Databases in NG9-1-1 - Nashville, TN (NENA 2014)

08.13.14 - Overcoming Negativity in the Comm Center - Salt Lake City, UT (NENA Education Summit)

08.14.14 - Caught in the Middle: A Guide to Middle Management - Salt Lake City, UT (NENA Education Summit)

08.15.14 - Customer Service for 9-1-1 Professionals - Salt Lake City, UT (NENA Education Summit)

09.05.14 - Customer Service for 9-1-1 Professionals - Sacramento, CA (NENA Education Summit)

09.06.14 - Developing a Quality Assurance Program from Call to End of Incident - Sacramento, CA (NENA Education Summit)

09.07.14 - Caught in the Middle: A Guide to Middle Management - Sacramento, CA (NENA Education Summit)

09.15-19.14 - Center Manager Certification Program - Waterbury, CT

Questions? Want to bring a course directly to you? 
Visit our Host a Course page to find out how you can bring it directly to you. You can also contact NENA's Education & Operational Issues Director, Ty Wooten, for additional information.