APCO Project 33 Agency Training Program Certification
Training for Public Safety Telecommunicators, initial and continuing, is exceedingly important as they provide essential services to the public in an ever-expanding and rapidly changing public safety environment. Public Safety Communications Centers must provide the best training possible. Many centers have developed their own basic training materials and processes while many others receive training from the APCO Institute (www.apcoinstitute.org). The APCO Project 33 Agency Training Program Certification is a formal mechanism for public safety agencies to certify their training programs as meeting APCO American National Standards (ANS).
The APCO P33 Training Program Certification – Telecommunicator 2010 requires agencies to meet or exceed the Candidate APCO ANS 3.103.1-2010: Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Telecommunicators. This standard has recently been updated from the 2006 version and is currently in the final stages of the APCO ANS process. After completing its third round of public review and comment, it will be submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for final approval. Once approved, the 2010 Certification application will be released. Please continue to check the APCO Standards web pages for updates, www.apcostandards.org. In the meantime, agencies can review the most recent draft of the candidate ANS to prepare your training program for certification.
The following Agencies have achieved
APCO P33 Training Program Certification – Telecommunicator 2006:
Brevard County Sheriff's Office-Communications Center (FL)
Charlottesville - UVA - Albemarle County Emergency Communications Center (VA)
Cincinnati Police Communications Section (OH)
City of Cedar Rapids Joint Communications Agency (IA)
Delaware State Police Communications Section (DE)
Denver 911 Communications Center (CO)
Durham Emergency Communications Center (NC)
El Paso County Sheriff's Office (CO)
Fayetteville Police Department (AR)
Hamilton County Department of Communications (OH)
Lincoln Emergency Communications (NE)
Naperville Public Safety Answering Point (IL)
North East King County Regional Public Safety Communication – NORCOM (WA)
Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications (NC)
Summit County Communications Center (CO)
Valley Communications Center (WA)
York County 911 (PA)
Update on i3 Technical Interface Specification Review
APCO staff participated in the ESIF/ATIS review of the NENA i3 Technical
Interface Specification for Next Generation 9-1-1. APCO remained
actively engaged in this forum so as to provide operational insight and
guidance to the technical subject matter experts that are reviewing this
upcoming standard. The i3 specification document will significantly
impact the future of our industry and APCO will continue to contribute to
this effort during the i3 Public Review and Comment period.
NENA is currently reviewing the ATIS comments and incorporating their
input into the i3 document prior to its release. Once the NENA i3
specification document is distributed for public review and comment all
members will have the opportunity to review the content of this proposed
standard. More information will be forthcoming.
EMFinders Focus Group
APCO Telematics committee members in conjunction with NENA recently
attended a joint focus group session at the EMFinders corporate
headquarters in Frisco , Texas. The goal of the meeting was to review the
technical methodology being employed by EMFinders and to assist them in
drafting standard operating procedures and training for PSAP personnel who
may receive calls from these devices.
The focus group work emphasized the need for APCO to continue to reach out
to other developers of mobile alarm technologies as these devices can
negatively impact PSAP operations when proper call-taker education has not
been provided. The inherent premise that a wireless device or alarm can
provide an accurate enough location to assure a victim receives help is
causing concern for many PSAP representatives.
Vehicle Telematics Standardization
The Data Transfer committee continues to work on the review of the Vehicle
Emergency Data Set standard (VEDS). The committee is nearing completion
of the review and will make recommendations for updates to the standard to
better align it with telematics technologies that have been implemented
since its creation. Additional data considerations are also being
addressed to assure that the standard will align with the operational
requirements of PSAPs.
ESIF Update
Wireless Issues: At the quarterly Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) held in Orlando on April 20 -23, APCO was a co-sponsor of two new Issues that were accepted by the full ESIF Plenary. The two issues deal with Confidence and Uncertainty that are delivered to PSAPs.
Issue 69 will address the fact that some wireless carriers deliver Uncertainty (UNC) on Phase I calls, and when UNC is delivered, this can cause confusion for the PSAP call taker on several levels. One suggested solution put forth as part of the Issue is to make recommendations for uniform treatment of UNC in Phase I calls. One option is to make it a requirement for UNC not to be delivered on Phase I calls from any carrier. Many members will recall that Project LOCATE addressed a number of UNC issues and provided recommendations for PSAP's and wireless carriers. This issue was assigned to the ESIF ECDR subcommittee chaired by Dick Dickinson of TCS.
Issue 70 will address the Confidence (CNF) parameter set in the Position Determining Entity (PDE) that is used to calculate the Uncertainty (UNC) that is delivered to the PSAP. Currently wireless carriers or third party PDE operators are using different CNF parameters causing the UNC value to be inconsistent between carriers; thus making it challenging to train call takers and for call takers to accept its use for dispatch of public safety services. A recommended solution is for a uniform CNF percentage be established for use in determining the UNC for individual calls by all wireless carriers or their third party vendors. This topic was a Project LOCATE concern and effective practices were developed to assist PSAP's cope with variances. This issue was assigned to the ESM subcommittee chaired by Kelly Springer of AT&T Wireless.
APCO staff will continue to actively work within the ESIF structure to address the above concerns. Members who have comments can contact Steve Wisely, Director, Comm. Center & 9-1-1 Services directly at wiselys@apcointl.org.
