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NENA 2015 Conference Brochure Now Available! Full Conference Details Inside...

Looking for details on the emergency communication industry's premier annual event, taking place June 27 - July 2 in Denver, CO? Look no further! The full NENA 2015 brochure is now available!

View the virtual brochure or download and print a copy for keynote speaker info, a current exhibitor roster, abstracts for education and training sessions, pre-conference course and workshop descriptions, and more!

Register online today! A printable/faxable form is also available.

Camp NENA is your summertime destination to earn your merit badges in all things 9-1-1. You will not only hear about the public safety issues of today and tomorrow, 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, Camp NENA delivers the education, resources, and contacts you need to fill your daypack and summit any mountain in front of you.

Featuring inspiring keynote speakers, more than ninety hours of breakout sessions that inform and empower, career-building courses and workshops with real-world applications, nightly networking events that help you make the right connections, and an Expo Hall showcasing cutting-edge products and services, NENA 2015 is the must-attend event of the year. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of it!

Learn more:

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

9-1-1 Center Design Webinar This Week or On-Demand

Designing for Changing & Evolving 9-1-1 Facility Requirements
Wednesday, April 29 | 3PM Eastern (live) or On-Demand
$50 for NENA Members | $85 for Non-Members
Click here to register!

Consolidation, changing and evolving technology, and Next Generation 9-1-1 requirements all impact your PSAP’s infrastructure and space requirements. Join us for an hour-long, interactive presentation to learn about:

Balancing flexibility with cost – determining where to spend limited construction dollars;
The difference between code requirements and guidelines – how to assess which guidelines apply to your center;
Site selection and redundancy – where are the hidden costs; and
LEED/Green Building design requirements – do they make sense for a PSAP.

Can't attend on the 29th? Register now and you will receive an email after the live presentation with instructions for accessing the on-demand webinar archive.

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

NENA 2015-2016 Executive Board Election Opens April 28!

Voting for NENA's 2015-2016 Executive Board opens on April 28. The positions of Second Vice President, North Central Region Director, Northeast Region Director, and Canadian Region Director will be up for election. Click on a candidate below to read his or her bio/candidate statement. You can also hear directly from the candidates themselves by viewing the election webinar archives linked below or by visiting the NENA YouTube Channel.

Second Vice President Candidates - Click here to view the Candidates Forum webinar archive!

Canadian Region Director Candidates - Click here to view the Candidates Forum webinar archive!

North Central Region Director Candidate

Bob Currier, ENP (unopposed)

Northeastern Region Director Candidate

Ed Marecki, ENP (unopposed)

On April 28, eligible members will receive an email with a direct link to NENA's online ballot along with voting instructions. Once a member logs in, he or she will be able to review the nominations and vote. After officially casting a vote, the voter will not be able to change his or her vote or access the ballot again.

Dates to Remember

04.28 – Online voting opens
05.19 – Online voting closes

After the voting period has ended, the Election Committee will certify the results on Sunday, June 27 in Denver, CO, in accordance with NENA Bylaws. Join us at NENA 2015 in Denver from June 27 - July 2, where the results of the election will be announced and your new Executive Board installed!

Contact Bri Robinson with any questions about the candidates, the voting process, or general election details.

National 9-1-1 Education Month Prepares Americans for Emergencies

This April, national public safety organizations are conducting 9-1-1 awareness campaigns that will ensure citizens are ready to get the help they need during emergencies.

The National 9-1-1 Education Coalition, an alliance of eight national organizations committed to promoting 9-1-1 public education across the country, has created a clearinghouse for free 9-1-1 public education materials, available now at www.know911.org. Key messages include:

Know Your Location: Especially when calling from a wireless device, the 9-1-1 call taker may not have access to your exact location. Be prepared to provide detailed information on where you are so that help can get to you as quickly as possible.
Call If You Can, Text If You Can’t: Text-to-9-1-1 service is available in an increasing number of communities around the country. However, a traditional voice call, if possible, is still the best way to reach emergency services.
Stay Calm and Don’t Hang Up: When you are on the phone with 9-1-1, you are their eyes and ears. So, until you are instructed to do otherwise, stay on the line so you can provide any necessary information or assistance to the 9-1-1 call taker.

"You don’t wake up in the morning thinking you are going to call 9-1-1. However, should you have to, it may be the most important call you ever make," said Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA: The 9-1-1 Association. "That’s what makes 9-1-1 Education Month so very important. In an emergency, seconds matter; being knowledgeable and prepared can make all the difference."

Additional resources are available at www.nena.org/education-month.

New NENA NG9-1-1 Working Group Being Formed

The Monitoring and Managing NG9-1-1 Working Group is tasked with creating a NENA document that addresses specific operational topics and makes general recommendations on operational procedures associated with the transition to monitoring and managing NG9-1-1 software functions and infrastructure. The output is targeted to those personnel who develop and manage PSAP processes and procedures, and to those responsible for ESInet, NG9-1-1 Core Services, and PSAP infrastructure. The effort will identify and describe what needs to be monitored and how that is different than current practices within E9-1-1, including the acquisition and provisioning of the capacity involved. The level of detail will be sufficient to identify areas that should be considered in RFPs and Service Level Agreements.

Expertise Needed: Subject Matter Experts who have been involved in monitoring and managing large, complex systems and networks, or that have been involved in writing and negotiating SLAs for them are invited to join the working group in this important effort.

To join this work group please complete the Volunteer Form. The group meets on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m. Eastern time.

On the morning of Sunday, June 28, lace up your running or walking shoes in support of 9-1-1 training and wellness programs and participate in the Friends of 9-1-1 second-annual "Run for 9-1-1" charity 5K in Denver, CO!

The run/walk promotes healthy living among 9-1-1 professionals, gives the Denver 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.

Click here to see pictures from last year's inaugural 5K in Nashville, TN!

Interested runners (and walkers) should visit the Friends of 9-1-1 website for more information. The registration fee is currently $30 and will increase to $35 on May 16 and then to $40 on Race Day (June 28). Teams of five runners can register for $100.

There are a limited number of corporate sponsorship opportunities for the Run for 9-1-1 charity event. The deadline for sponsorship commitments is June 15. Sponsorship inquiries should be directed to Sean Sullivan of Team Lightbulb.

Those who cannot attend the run/walk in person are encouraged to show support by becoming a Friends of 9-1-1 Fundraiser, with options available for individuals or groups to raise funds for scholarships and other initiatives benefiting 9-1-1 professionals.

You Shop & Amazon Gives with AmazonSmile!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support NENA every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to NENA.

To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com from the Web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you need to search for and select "National Emergency Number Association" to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation.

Click here to learn more and here to start shopping now!

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.

OPS UPDATE

NENA Announces New QA/QI Standard

The new ANSI-approved Standard for the Establishment of a Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Program for Public Safety Answering Points (APCO/NENA ANS 1.107.1-?-2015) defines the recommended minimum components and best practices of a Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) program within a public safety communications center. Recommended minimum requirements for the evaluation and QA of call processing are intended to ensure a consistent, effective, and efficient level of service.

This standard is an attempt to establish a long overdue quality assurance and improvement process to all of America’s 9-1-1 telecommunicators to ensure call taking and radio dispatch actions are delivered at the highest possible standard.

Click here to read more and download the standard.

NENA Seeks Volunteers to Revise PSAP Service Criteria Rating Scale Standard

This standard assists PSAP managers and their governing authorities to identify their current level of service capability. An assessment tool is provided to objectively assess capabilities of the PSAP against models representing the best level of preparedness, survivability, and sustainability amidst a wide range of natural and man-made events.

NENA is now seeking volunteers to become members of this joint NENA/APCO Working Group that will review and revise this standard. NENA is seeking diverse participants with backgrounds in PSAP operations and management, technologists, and general interest participants, such as government agencies and entities.

Click here to apply to join the working group.

New NENA Contingency Planning Standard available for Public Review and Comment

NENA Communications Center/PSAP Disaster and Contingency Plans Model Recommendation, NENA-STA-011.2-201X (originally 53-001) (DRAFT) serves as a reference to a contingency planning section of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for use by Communications Centers and/or PSAP Authorities as guidance in the formulation of an agency SOP. The document includes best practices, guidelines, and procedures on:

Staffing
IT Security
Redundant Systems
Situations Requiring Evacuation
Evacuation Procedures
Return to Normal Operations

The document is available for Public Review and Comment until April 30, 2015, at 5 p.m. ET. All comments shall be submitted by clicking here and then selecting "add a comment" just above the title "Document Details." 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 can be directed to the NENA Committee Resource Manager.