JANUARY 2011

Best of luck to the Public Safety Communications Board's outgoing co-chairs

Betty Knight (left) and Annabeth Surbaugh (right) both left public office at the end of 2010.

Thank you to Betty Knight, former presiding commissioner of Platte County and Annabeth Surbaugh, former chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners for their combined 34 years of service to the Public Safety Communications Board.

"Commissioner Knight and Chairman Surbaugh have provided strong support for the regional 9-1-1 system," said Keith Faddis, public safety program director. "Their leadership during technology upgrades, the purchase of wireless selective routers and securing access to the 9-1-1 database are just a few examples of how their support and cooperation have made our system a model of excellence." More»

Changes in MARC public safety program staff

You may recognize the new public safety administrative manager, Adam Geffert, as a former public safety communications technician.

Adam recently completed a Master of Public Administration at the University of Kansas and was happy to find a new career opportunity within the public safety program.

"I am thrilled to be able to continue to support our nationally recognized 9-1-1 network in a new and challenging capacity," said Adam. More»

Program plans for Next Generation 9-1-1 regional upgrade

Throughout this year, program staff will plan and prepare for a region-wide upgrade to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) compatible equipment and the migration of select PSAPs to the RAMBIS microwave network. Right now, the only way for residents in the Greater Kansas City region to communicate with a 9-1-1 calltaker during an emergency is to call 9-1-1. With NG 9-1-1 technology, PSAPs will also be able to receive emergency information through text messages, streaming video and automatic crash notification data. More»

New format and lower price for the 2011 Professional Development Series

Being in a leadership position in a public safety agency is a demanding role that requires not only technical savvy, but also the ability to supervise a team of people who regularly handle life-or-death situations. More»

Deadline to submit nominations for the 2011 Outstanding Performance Awards is Feb. 7

The 3rd Annual Outstanding Performance Awards (OPAs) will be presented on Friday, April 15, during the Telecommunicators Appreciation Celebration (TAC). Look for more information regarding TAC in the coming weeks.

The OPAs were developed to congratulate and acknowledge the exceptional work telecommunicators do for first responders and for the public. Review the award criteria and submit a nomination form online or on the public safety intranet. More»

Dispatchers work through bomb-threat incident

Last month, the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando, Fla., received a call from an unknown man who said he intended to blow up the building. Fire and rescue offices, located on the first floor, evacuated; however, dispatchers stayed at their workstations on the second floor during a search of the building. What would your agency do in this situation? More»

VoIP call volume increases after phone company transition

In October, Time Warner Cable began transitioning its telephone service, which previously displayed on 9-1-1 workstations much like a wireline call, to true Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This means 9-1-1 calls from Time Warner customers — which were previously delivered to landline trunks and provided a static address — now deliver via wireless/VoIP trunks and display "VOIP" in the class of service field on the 9-1-1 workstation. More»

Reminder: Submit error reports through Info Manager

Have you answered a call that returned incorrect information, was misrouted or displayed a “no record found” message? If so, please remember to promptly submit an error report using Info Manager directly from your PlantCML workstation. This helps staff improve the quality of ALI records in the regional 9-1-1 database. If you have questions about error reports, e-mail Saralyn Hayes or call 816/701-8314.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Jan. 11: 9-1-1 Stress Management

Jan. 13: PlantCML Equipment Training

Jan. 13: TTY Training

Jan. 25: Violence in Public Settings

Jan. 26: 9-1-1 Liability

Jan. 27: Refresher GeoLynx

See a complete list of upcoming 9-1-1 training opportunities and GTI courses included in the 9-1-1 training consortium membership.

Special Events and Trainings

Feb. 17: PDS: Mapping Enhancements for Emergency Response

April 15: 14th Annual Telecommunicators Appreciation Celebration and the Outstanding Performance Awards from 6–10 p.m. at the Adams Pointe Conference Center in Blue Springs, Mo.

Maintenance Services

In non-emergency situations, you may e-mail maintenance requests or questions to 911techs@marc.org.

If your issue requires immediate attention, or if you are not sure, please call 816/421-2911 any time day or night.

PSAP Managers Forum

The PSAP Managers Forum is an excellent resource for managers and supervisors to share and exchange ideas, concerns and suggestions.

Have a story you want to share?

E-mail Jen Houston or call 816/701-8394.