NENA dispatch

NENA NEWS

This Wednesday: Free Webinar on Becoming a NENA Board Member

Becoming a NENA Board Member: What You Need to Know
Wednesday, February 17 | 4PM Eastern (live) or On-Demand
Free! Click here to register!

Ever thought about running for national NENA office? If so, this free webinar provides a primer to get you ready. Join NENA leaders for a discussion of candidate prerequisites, the nomination process, the election cycle, the positions available on the board, the duties and responsibilities of a board member, and how national office differs from chapter leadership. A Q&A period at the end will help address remaining questions not covered during the presentation.

Can't attend on the 17th? 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 automatically upon registration.

NENA Seeks "Volunteer of the Quarter" Nominations

The NENA Appreciation Committee is accepting nominations for a "Volunteer of the Quarter" award in recognition of a volunteer from a national NENA committee, working group, or advisory board who has gone above and beyond in their volunteer efforts on behalf of the association through their participation, contribution, and leadership. Areas for consideration include attending meetings and conference calls, participating in activities, suggesting new or innovative ideas, and demonstrating passion for NENA and 9-1-1.

Please submit a short narrative summarizing why you believe your nominee is deserving of this award to appreciation@nena.org by noon on Friday, February 19.

Join NENA from February 21-24 just steps from the nation's capital in Arlington, VA. 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.

Our three-day program offers a significant opportunity for 9-1-1 professionals to shape the nation’s emergency communications policy agenda. Join us in Washington 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 agendas 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 policy initiatives; and
An opportunity to speak directly with members of Congress, Administration officials, and key staff to make your voice heard on behalf of the entire 9-1-1 community.

Click here to register. Download an event brochure and visit nena.org/gtw for full details and access to a free three-part webinar series to get you prepared for the event!

"Social Media & the 9-1-1 Center" Webinar Scheduled for February 24th!

Social Media & the 9-1-1 Center
Wednesday, February 24 | 3PM Eastern (live) or On-Demand
$50 for NENA Members | $85 for Non-Members
Click here to register!

For better or worse, social media has taken the world by storm. Increasingly, communication center personnel are confronted with issues resulting from the introduction of social media into the PSAP. Attend this hour-long webinar to learn:

The pitfalls of the use of social media as it relates to job performance,
What the courts say about the employer’s ability to control the use of social media,
Practical legal tips to avoid conflicts or disciplinary problems resulting from inappropriate use of social media, and
A number of the ways you should be using social media in your center.

Can't attend on the 24th? 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.

Let Jobs Come to You with the NENA Career Center!

Having trouble finding the time to search for jobs? Let us do the work for you!

Create a personal job alert via NENA’s Career Center and new jobs that match your search criteria will be emailed directly to you. Job alerts will:

Match jobs to your customized criteria
Notify you when potential opportunities become available
Allow you to focus on other career-building activities, such as networking at NENA conferences and events

Now Accepting: McMurray Scholarship & Stanton Award Nominations

2016 William M. McMurray Annual Conference Scholarship Opportunity
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 2016 Conference & Expo. The scholarship includes conference registration fee and four 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 headquarters by COB March 18, 2016.

Stanton Award Nominations Now Open
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 31, 2016.

NENA Invites You to Participate in Our New #THANKYOU911 Campaign!

We are excited to announce a brand new campaign called #ThankYou911, an initiative of NENA’s Friends of 9-1-1, which provides scholarships, continuing education opportunities, and wellness programs for America’s 9-1-1 professionals. But before our new #ThankYou911 website goes live, we’re giving you a chance to get involved right now!

#ThankYou911 invites you to say "thanks" to the unsung heroes of public safety: America's 9-1-1 professionals. Now in the earliest stages of this campaign, we are inviting you, your family, and your friends to be among the very first to participate before our new #ThankYou911 website goes live. We encourage you to go ahead and submit messages and/or photos of appreciation to friendsof911@gmail.com.

Write a message:

Say "thanks" by writing a message! Tell us in your own words why you appreciate America's 9-1-1 professionals. Please keep messages under 100 words. We’ll post the best messages on the website. Submissions should include your first and last name, email address, and where you’re from (optional).

Upload a photo:

Take a photo, alone or with friends and family, that shows your appreciation and tells 9-1-1 professionals how much their work means to you with a message of gratitude. We'll post the best photos on the website! Submissions should include your first and last name, email address, where you’re from (optional), and a caption.

The #ThankYou911 campaign is all about saying "thanks" to the unsung heroes of public safety: America’s 9-1-1 professionals. It’s a chance for anyone to pause and reflect on the impact 9-1-1 has had on their lives, and encourages people to submit their own expressions of gratitude and support through messages, photos, and videos. The campaign also harnesses the power of social media to spread the word with the #ThankYou911 hashtag.

Usage agreement: By submitting your message or media, you agree to allow us to use your message or media as part of the #ThankYou911 campaign. We reserve the right to edit your content for file size, and/or message length, syntax, and style.

Free Sponsored Webinar: Reconstructing Incidents in a Multi-Channel, Multimedia World

What Really Happened? Reconstructing Incidents in a Multi-Channel, Multimedia World
Sponsored by NICE Public Safety
Tuesday, March 1 | 1PM Eastern (live) or On-Demand
Free! Click here to register!

Citizens, especially younger ones, want and expect to communicate emergency information via the same digital channels that they use every day. That means photos, video, and text, as well as voice. To fully understand an incident and evaluate the decisions and actions of your people, all traditional and digital interactions need to be captured, managed, synchronized and put into context. While you may not be dealing with a lot of digital channel or multimedia communications yet, you still need to understand how to handle them in the future.

During this webinar you’ll learn:

How multi-channel, multimedia emergency communications can help you better serve your community,
That integrating both traditional and digital channels and multimedia content is necessary for the most complete, accurate re-creation of incidents and record of who knew what when and how they acted as a result, and
How reconstruction that includes multiple channels and multimedia content delivers a deeper understanding of incidents that can lead to fewer mistakes, less complaints, better service and stronger community support through the development of best practices.

Can't attend on the 1st? Register now and you will have access to the on-demand webinar archive via the registration landing page.

Webinar Access Info
Dial-in and web-access details will be provided to attendees via email automatically upon registration.

The views expressed during this webinar are those of the sponsor and not necessarily those of NENA. NENA does not endorse any proprietary product or solution. Contact Sean Sullivan for more information on how your company can participate in NENA’s sponsored webinar program.

NENA Now Accepting 2016-2017 Executive Board Nominations

NENA is pleased to open the nominations process for our 2016-2017 Executive Board election! This election will be for the following positions:

Second Vice President
Southeastern Region Director
Western Region Director
Private Sector Director

All nominees must be current members in good standing for at least three years; have been employed for at least three years in 9-1-1; be certified Emergency Number Professionals (ENPs); and meet the minimum threshold of membership, leadership, and certification requirements as outlined in the Nomination Form. Nominees for the position of Region Director must reside in the region they wish to represent.

Click here to download a .zip file of election documents and resources that includes:

Statement of Responsibilities
Must be signed by nominee and co-signed by an agency representative (if applicable)
Nomination Form
Can be completed by the applying candidate or by a third-party nominator
Relevant NENA policies and procedures
NENA bylaws

The nomination deadline is March 15, 2016. Contact Nominating Committee Chair Bernard Brown or Member Services Director Bri Robinson with any questions about the nomination process, eligibility requirements, or general election details.

Join NENA's 911Talk Email List & Connect With Peers Down the Street or Around the Globe!

The 911Talk email list is a great way to network with other NENA members and your peers in 9-1-1. Discuss current events, ask for help on an issue or problem, ask your peers questions about their experiences in 9-1-1, bounce ideas off each other... If it's related to the technology or management of 9-1-1, you can talk about it here.

Best of all, the 911Talk list knows no geographic boundaries! Once you join the list and start sending messages, your email is received by all members of the list from across the U.S. and Internationally. That makes staying up to date and networking with your peers easy and fun.

Click here for more info and to sign up today!

Save the Date!

Renew Your NENA Membership Today!

You should have recently received an email from NENA with a link to your 2016 NENA dues notice. Help NENA go green and save a stamp by choosing to pay online by check or credit card. If this is not an option for you or your agency, the email also contained a link allowing you to print out a copy of your invoice for local processing.

Instantly renew your membership online in just a few easy steps:

Simply log in to the NENA website.
Go to your Manage Profile page.
Click on Membership under the "Account History" header to view your renewal options.
Pay online by check or credit card.
Print out a receipt for your records.

We look forward to sharing many new and exciting member benefits with you in the coming year!

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.