washington state apco

WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
Spring
Forum
911 Professionals
from around the
State gathered
for 3 days of
training put on
by the State E911
Office and WA
APCO-NENA at
Camp Murray on
March 18, 19 and
20th. A 911
Coordinator’s
tract and 911
Training
Coordinator’s
tracts were
offered. Trainers
gathered to
network and
learn more about
the Washington
State
Telecommunicator certification program, the
Communications Adult Learning Model with
problem based learning as well as improving Comm
Center performance by leveraging APCO/ANSI, NENA, NCMEC and other standards.
2014
HIGHLIGHTS
The 911 Coordinator’s Tract focused on the operational impacts of Next Generation 911 hiring presented by
Criticall and Project Management training presented by ADCOMM Engineering.
The WA APCO-NENA Chapter meeting was held at the end of the day at Camp Murray on Wednesday. And
afterwards, members gathered for a fun Chapter Dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma.
1
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
A Letter from the APCO-NENA President
Sheryl Mullen
responders, and the public. I hope you and your agencies
are finding fun ways to celebrate each other during TC
Appreciation Week. Please send your pictures and tales of
what you did to Newsletter Editor Jackie Jones
([email protected] ) for inclusion in a future edition.
It was great to see so many of you at the Spring Forum and
chapter meeting/dinner. I always come back to work after
one of these events feeling energized and ready to tackle
whatever the issue du jour is.
April showers bring us National Public Safety
Telecommunicator Appreciation Week. Let me take this
opportunity to thank all of you who are answering the calls
and dispatching the units 24/7/365. I worked as a
Telecommunicator for 12 years and I am aware of the
importance of the work you do and the sacrifice you make to
work in a 911
agency. Not a day
goes by when I
don’t use my
dispatcher
background to
guide decisions
made about a
variety of issues
within our
center. Thank you
for your
commitment to
your agency, your
Let me also take a moment to acknowledge the devastating
mudslide that occurred in Oso and the outstanding work by
SNOPAC as that incident continued to evolve. Special shout
out to SNOCOM as well for being available to support the
needs SNOPAC had during this event. SNOCOM also
provided tactical dispatchers for the county
communications van on the incident. Our chapter made a
$100 donation to the Red Cross to be used for the Oso
incident. I hope you will all consider making a donation to
the American Red Cross in support of the needs of that
community.
The Washington State APCO-NENA 2014 Public Safety
Communications Conference is just a few short weeks
away. The conference will be held June 24-27 in
Kennewick, WA. The work of the conference committee is
continuing and I am anticipating a conference full of
educational workshops, networking, and fun. Make your
plans now to join us!
TERT - By Cory James, WA-TERT State Coordinator
In the wake of a disaster is often the best time to make changes happen. This is not meant to sound insensitive
to anyone affected by the tragedy; on the contrary it would be insensitive to NOT take the opportunity to assess
the systems that kick in after the disaster. Most of these systems we deal with have built in after-action reviews, but
it typically takes a while before the completed review is able to be used in a productive manner. While most of us
work daily to mitigate loss in a disaster, we constantly work against obstacles - politicians, bosses, the public, or anyone
else that has the power to make a change. When disasters are fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s more likely those changes will
be better received and positive change might even follow. But this “window” where ideas might be better received is pretty
small. Take the opportunity to reach out as soon as possible and do what you can to make changes for the better, but don’t be
hasty…make sure you have your facts together.
As the State Coordinator for Washington’s Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT), I’m taking this opportunity to
assess our processes and determine what can be done better in the future. This was prompted by an “almost” TERT
deployment. The request was subsequently cancelled, but it offered a great chance to test our methods of communication. On
Wednesday, March 26, 2014 (four days after the Oso mudslide occurred) I was contacted by someone involved in the incident
requesting a TERT deployment consisting of four Telecommunicators. I took some initial information and referred the caller to their
local Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to make the request. By design, that request would then transfer to the State Emergency
Operations Center (SEOC) who would then in turn contact me back with the “official” request. I immediately contacted each of the
Regional TERT Coordinators who were tasked with checking in with their PSAP’s to see who was deployable. Within a short amount
of time, a team of four was confirmed deployable with the potential
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4, SEE “TERT”
2
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
TECH
TALK
IXP CORPORATION
Tackling the Toughest Challenges in Public Safety
Consulting | Technology | Managed Services
Northwest Contact: Kevin Kearns
GRANTING
THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
www.ixpcorp.com
[email protected]
206.979.1313
By Deborah Minteer
WESCOM
When working at a mid to small-sized PSAP, I have learned to
wear a lot of hats. Some of those hats are quirky, others
surprising, and too many are just plain ugly and uncomfortable.
I’ll bet you have your own hat collection...few, if any, are more
important than funding your PSAP.
expectancy, and then just finally gives up. We were almost at the
point of dispatching by cell phone, carrier pigeon and smoke
signals.
Lest you think we were negligent or too dense to do enough long
term planning to prevent this situation, rest assured that was not
the case; there simply was no available funding to meet our
needs. We had been seeking funding from a variety of grants for
years, and did have some success on many small projects. But
not on anything that would provide major improvements.
Application, followed by rejection, and the cycle would repeat.
Then, at the darkest time, the impossible happened.
The PSAP that I work for (WESCOM) has four revenue sources—
wireless, wireline, and VoIP taxes; the State E911 reimbursement
grant; user funding; and any other supplemental grants that we
are able to hunt down and drag home. User fees and the State
E911 reimbursement grant pay for salary expenses. The E911
grant also funds most 911 equipment replaced around here.
Unfortunately, the State E911 grant does not cover replacing the
aging dispatch radio consoles or the public safety radio system,
which comprise the critical other half of the service delivery
needs for the 9-1-1 system.
Because we had been open about the needs of our center and
had a reputation (a good one thankfully!) of getting grants done
and the books closed quickly, we were offered supplemental
grant funds that were left on the table by other agencies. The
kicker is the funds had to be used up in eight weeks. Our team of
vendors, engineers, technicians, and installers worked with
amazing coordination to pull off with one day to spare before the
deadline. The end result is that we were able to replace all of our
failing system backbone.
About three years ago lightning struck two of our remote radio
sites, and this catastrophe turned out to be a lucky thing! I’ll bet
you didn’t see that one coming; neither did we. Replacement
parts for the old microwave could not be found anywhere in the
United States, so the entire system had to be replaced, at the
expense of our insurance carrier. While the microwave was old,
it was still functioning until the storm rolled through. So our
PSAP ended up paying a $5,000 deductible, and the insurance
picked up the remaining $200,000 price tag. That lightning storm
was exceptional. It provided the “spark” that set off an incredible
chain of events that have resulted in some major improvements
to our system.
That would make a nice conclusion to the story, but it doesn’t
end there. Just as we received the needed funds, we were
notified that one of our AFG grant applications was successful…
for the same project that we had just been awarded through the
IECGP. Thankfully our luck did not shift again under the
prevailing winds, and we were able to modify the scope of the
AFG grant and use that funding to tackle the next highest
priorities on our “shopping” list.
Luck must have a wicked sense of humor, because our “good”
luck quickly morphed into something else entirely. While the
new microwave system was being installed, our ancient
Simulcast system failed. So, about $200,000 later…we have a
new, state-of-the-art Simulcast system. And this time we wrote
out the full check. Unfortunately, that used up ALL of our
remaining equipment replacement reserves, and then some. We
didn’t even have enough money to buy more duct tape to keep
things working! Of course, things can get worse, several of our
ancient radios began to fail on a regular basis. There is no
insurance coverage for equipment that serves for twice its life
These past three years have been a real rollercoaster ride, from
the depths of despair to the peaks of success…but the fight is not
yet over. Many projects needs still remain, and the life
expectancy clock has started ticking on the new equipment.
Hopefully your county has seen the writing on the wall and has
an additional funding source to pay for equipment maintenance
and replacement—such as a dedicated sales tax. We waited too
long to ask, many other local organizations were not so shy. Our
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4, SEE “GRANTING”
3
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
WA APCO-NENA Chapter
Endorses Cheryl Greathouse
for 2nd VP APCO, International
TERT - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
for deploying a team of six immediately and another two within the following
few days. Before the request made its way to the SEOC, it was cancelled and
everyone was advised to “stand down”.
Sounds like perfect success, right? Admittedly, the system worked, however I
would be a fool to think it worked perfectly. Many years in this industry have
taught me to always critique my own actions as well as those of others to
determine if things can be done better. As discussed before, this is the
perfect time to perform that critique and work on changes. Several things
were discovered including a faster method of communicating initial
information to Regional Coordinators. Additionally, more education needs to
be done regarding TERT with a special emphasis to the folks in local
emergency management roles.
The Chapter discussed a request for
endorsement of Cheryl Greathouse for this
position at the March Chapter meeting.
Members in attendance spoke about Cheryl
and her commitment to APCO and our
profession. The Chapter then voted to endorse
Cheryl for the 2nd Vice President position. We
encourage you to vote in the upcoming APCO
election and if you would like to see more
about candidate Cheryl Greathouse, please
visit her Facebook page at
Elect Cheryl J. Greathouse for
2nd VP of APCO International 2014
Also running for this position is Michael Jeffries
from Nebraska.
One of the major hiccups that became immediately obvious was the lack of
deployable personnel. The State of Washington has 100+ TERT Team
Members that have been trained. An additional 50-75 TERT Leaders are
trained. Of that number, only 14 have completed the required steps to have
deployable personnel. So, in the wake of this tragic disaster this is what I’m
going to work the hardest to fix. If your agency has personnel that have been
trained, minimum requirements have been met and you endorse them to
deploy…you must complete the “Agency Affirmation of Completed Training
for TERT” document. Return this completed document to your Regional
Coordinator (and me too). If you are struggling to get your agency to commit
and complete the form, this is a great time to remind those with the power
that the success of TERT depends on this. Think of the agencies directly
impacted by this recent disaster. Think of how their employees have been
pushed to their limits. Think of how your agency would do in the same
situation. Even if you are fully staffed, think of the other duties your
employees might have to take on that will bring those staffing levels down. A
lot of hard work went into establishing and implementing a TERT team in
Washington to ensure agencies can maintain continuity of operations to serve
our customers (all of them).
Let’s use the wake of this disaster appropriately and fix as much as we can. If
you have any questions regarding TERT or want more information on how to
be part of TERT, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Regional
Coordinator or myself. If your agency has come up against obstacles with
putting forth deployable personnel, let us know so we can help.
My heartfelt thoughts go out to all who have been or will be affected by this
tragic disaster.
GRANTING - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
local tax rate is so high that there is little chance of getting a communications tax passed, but it
is a future option. Meanwhile, we have to continually scout out potential grants to cover our
remaining equipment needs. And there are a lot of them!
The main point to be made here is that for every grant that we have been awarded, we were
turned down by two others. Still we consider ourselves to be very successful losers. And until
we locate a source of continual funding for all our critical needs, we will keep applying for any
and all state, federal, and private grant that can possibly fund any of them. Although our
chances of grant success remain relatively low, if we don’t apply, our chances are ZERO. And
until we have a permanent and stable revenue source, we will continue to keep trying.
4
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
Washington State APCO-NENA 2014
Public Safety Communications Conference
Speaker Highlight
Making the Team Preparing
for Promotional Processes
Susan Beisheim and Sheryl Mullen
Wednesday, June 25th
Now is the time! In advance of the next promotional process at your agency, you need to be preparing yourself and sending a
message to your decision makers that you are prepared for the position you are seeking. This course will address common
elements of promotional processes and how you market yourself in advance of those opportunities. Depending on attendee
numbers, there will be small group practice of various elements.
Susan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from California State University, Hayward. She has provided
leadership in the area of Human Resources Management to both private and public sector organizations, in both California
and Washington. She is currently the Human Resources Manager for NORCOM. Susan has provided facilitation and oversight
for selection processes, including entry level and promotional opportunities. She has seen first-hand what works and what
doesn’t and has seen the best candidates fail to be selected, often due to a simple lack of appropriate preparation.
Sheryl has a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree with an emphasis in Speech Communications from Western Washington
University and has been involved in public safety communications since 1989. She has worked as a Dispatcher, trainer,
supervisor, accreditation manager, and CALEA Assessor. She is currently the Professional Standards & Development Manager
at NORCOM. Having been involved in many hiring processes, she has an interest in helping others prepare for opportunities.
She is our Washington APCO-NENA Chapter President.
Working toward a
brighter future!
Early Bird Registration Close Date
May 23rd, 2014
Conference Dates
June 25-27, 2014
(Wed through Friday)
Directors Meeting
June 24th, 2014 (Tuesday)
Chapter Meeting
June 24th, 2014 (Tuesday)
Chapter Dinner
June 24th, 2014 (Tuesday)
THE WASHINGTON STATE APCO-NENA
2014 PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Blvd
Kennewick, WA
REGISTER ONLINE AT:
www.regonline.com/wapscc
5
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
Washington State APCO-NENA
2014 Public Safety Communications
Conference HOST HOTELS & EARLY
BIRD REGISTRATION INFO
Red Lion Inn and Suites (Formerly the Cedar’s)
602 N. Young Street, Kennewick, WA
COMPLETELY FULL
Red Lion Hotel Columbia Center
Working toward a
brighter future!
Fun Follows the
Chapter Dinner
Tuesday, June 24th!
Our entertainment for the Chapter Dinner this year
will be a Lip Sync Contest! You will be able to select
from a large catalog of songs and then give us your
best, most heartfelt, most dramatic interpretation
of the song. Best of all, the final vote on the
winners will be made by YOU! More details to
come, so start practicing your lip syncing!
1101 N. Columbia Center Blvd, Kennewick, WA
The rate for both hotels is $99.95 for a
standard room.
Hotel reservations can be made by calling
1-800-733-5466 - Mention Association of
Public Safety Communications Officials
to receive the group rate.
Conference Dates are June 25-27, 2014!
REGISTER ONLINE AT:
www.regonline.com/wapscc
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION: $25.00 off the regular
registration rate for registrations between Feb 7 and
May 23, 2014. Credit card payment or purchase
orders accepted. A 5% penalty will be added each
month if payment is not received by July 15, 2014. A
$30.00 late fee will be added to all registrations made
after June 15, 2014.
To receive the membership rate, you must be a
member in good standing (in any membership
category) of either APCO or NENA. Non-members who
select the membership rate but who are not members
in good standing at the time of their registration will
be billed for the rate difference plus a $10.00
processing fee.
Join your Washington State APCO-NENA
Chapter Meeting in New Orleans
Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
1:30pm-3:00pm
Convention Center, 2nd floor, Room R01
6
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
9-1-1 OUTAGE DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF TEAMWORK
By Brenda Cantu, WA APCO-NENA Past President LLL
Once upon a time, not so far away, some PSAP managers, directors and coordinators had a dream that if they worked together
they would be able to bring 9-1-1 services to Washington State. They realized the power of a team was greater than an
individual and they worked to develop relationships, and in so doing became a force in the profession. The story goes that
the road was not easy, there were many strong
willed individuals, those pesky “type A”s and
some were even thought to be a little
stubborn. As the years passed, some of the
faces changed but the determination to
continue to develop the 9-1-1 system to the
highest level never lessened. They continue to
work on focusing on the need of the whole,
rather than the individual parts. The efforts of
this group are easy to ignore; they are not on
the front line answering the 9-1-1 calls, or
dispatching the emergencies. But their efforts
are as equally important to this profession, for
without their efforts, there would be no 9-1-1
calls to answer. They are content to work in
the background. When needed however, they
are like Clark Kent stepping out of the phone
booth and becoming Superman. Thursday,
April 10th, shortly after midnight, there was a 91-1 outage for the majority of WA State and
part of Oregon.
These normally quiet
individuals quickly went into action and truly
demonstrated the power of teamwork. Richard Kirton, set up the conference bridge and started the group email. He was
soon joined by Tim, Jean, Ed, Jim, Marlys, Laura, JQ, Peggy, Andy, Jackie, Ray, Anna, Staci and many others. Everyone was able
to quickly determine that they were not alone in this outage, and was able to combine knowledge and efforts in order to
determine how to best deal with the event. For the next seven hours, this group worked together to resolve the issue. Later
it would be learned that CenturyLink and their partner Intrado discovered a router issue in Colorado that is believed to be the
culprit. They have spent considerable time reviewing their processes and preparing their action statements. Take comfort in
knowing that our PSAP leaders, from every section of this state, will coordinate efforts with CenturyLink and Intrado in order
to take steps to prevent this type of outage in the future. While we remember to celebrate our Telecommunicators every
year in April, perhaps it is time to take a moment and thank the Clark Kents….who truly led by example and who will continue
to demonstrate the power of teamwork, not only one early Thursday morning, but each and every day.
the email list, and on the Facebook page, so you can peruse
the available items before you arrive in Kennewick! Pictures &
Baskets may be donated by individuals, PSAPs, or vendors.
descriptions of the baskets for the blog should be emailed to
Bring your raffle basket with you to Kennewick. Chapter Grace at [email protected]
Services members will be stationed at a table in the lobby at Bidding closes Thursday, June 26th @ 1630 hours. Winners
the Conference Center to receive them.
will be posted at the reception prior to the banquet.
Baskets will be given a starting price determined by the Winners will pay and pick up their baskets either Thursday
Chapter Services committee. A Buy-It-Now price may be evening or Friday morning by 1100. If you bid and you are not
posted for the baskets on the bid sheets.
staying Thursday night/Friday, you need to arrange for
If you have a lot of great, high-value items gathered for a someone to be there Friday to pay and pick it up. Chapter
basket, consider breaking them up into several smaller Services does not have the space to store leftover baskets nor
baskets. The more fabulous the basket, the more money can the money to ship them to you.
be raised for the Chapter's legislative efforts!
SUMMER CONFERENCE BASKET AUCTION
IMPORTANT: To include a bottle of alcohol in your basket, it
will need to be wrapped up inside a gift basket bag or inside a
SEALED gift box, due to our contract
with the Convention Center. Any
alcohol that is displayed on its own or
removed from its sealed packaging will
be confiscated immediately.
Before the conference, a blog will be
set up with descriptions and pictures of
the baskets. The address of the blog
will be published in the newsletter, on
7
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW ONLY OPEN WITH THE
SUPPORT OF FOUR MEMBERS OR THE FLOOR PROCESS
The APCO-NENA Nominating Committee is pleased to present the following slate of nominees for consideration at the June 2014
Chapter meeting.
 President Elect
 Secretary
Jackie Jones, Grant County
 APCO Treasurer
Richard Kirton, Kitsap County 911*
Laura Caster, Snohomish County 911*
 Westside Member-at-Large
Kathy McCaughan, Port of Seattle
Karl Hatton, Jeffcom
Who may apply: Members in good standing in any classification may serve as an officer of the Chapter, subject to the qualifications
listed below. A member in good standing is defined as a member of at least two years, whose dues are paid in full.
Candidates for the position of President Elect must be either a Full Member of APCO or a Public Sector Voting Member of NENA with
at least two-years of membership in any APCO or NENA Chapter and at least one year of active participation in a Washington Chapter
Committee or Washington Chapter activities. Term is for 1 year, with immediate succession to President.
Candidates for the position of Member-At-Large: West must be a Full Member of APCO or a Public Sector Member of NENA and
reside in the area they are representing. Term is for 2 years.
Candidates for the position of APCO-WA Treasurer must be a Full Member of APCO. Term is for 4 years.
Candidates for the position of Secretary must be a Full Member of APCO or a Public Sector Member of NENA. Term is for 2 years.
If you are interested in any of these positions, additional nominations can be added to the ballot upon request of FOUR members
delivered to the NENA Treasurer, Alice Johnson at [email protected] thirty days (by May 25, 2014) prior to the election to be held
(June 24, 2014) or the President will call for nominations from the floor prior to the commencement of voting. Those nominated from
the floor will not have their names on the ballot (electronic or paper). We encourage anyone interested in becoming involved in YOUR
Washington Chapter of APCO-NENA to consider these open positions.
~ The Nominating Committee ~
*Incumbent seeking re-election
ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCESS
Absentee ballots for the APCO-NENA 2014 Chapter Officer Election can be requested
by Current APCO-NENA members by emailing current NENA Treasurer, Alice Johnson at [email protected]. Please include your
name, membership number, agency/business name, and e-mail address. Requests for absentee ballots must be received by June 3,
2014. Requests for absentee ballots received after June 3, 2014 will not be accepted.
Absentee Ballots will be e-mailed to requestors on June 4, 2014 (20 days in advance of the vote to be held at the Chapter Meeting on
June 24, 2014).
Absentee ballots must be returned to the current NENA Treasurer,
Alice Johnson at either of the following:
By US Mail: Alice Johnson
I-COM
840 SE Barrington Drive
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
By E-Mail Attachment: [email protected]
In accordance with the WA APCO-NENA Bylaws, completed mail in ballots must be received by NENA Treasurer Alice Johnson by June 17,
2014 (please allow sufficient time for your vote to be delivered). Mail in ballots received after June 17, 2014 will be destroyed uncounted
regardless of the post-mark. Electronic balloting will close June 23, 2014. Electronic ballots received after June 23, 2014 will be destroyed
uncounted.
Absentee Ballots will include the candidates submitted by the nominating committee as well as all candidates who have been submitted at
the request of four members and delivered to the NENA Treasurer by May 5, 2014.
Absentee ballots will not include those candidates who are submitted to the NENA Treasurer after May 25, 2014 nor will they include any
candidates who will be nominated from the floor at the Chapter Meeting on June 24, 2014. Write in space will be available on the absentee
ballot.
8
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
CONGRATULATIONS!
ANNOUNCING WA APCO-NENA TELECOMMUNICATOR AWARD WINNERS
Telecommunicator of the Year Critical Incident – Myke Isayev – Spokane Fire Dept.
Telecommunicator of the Year Sustained – Kim Schultz – Franklin County Sheriff’s Dispatch
Communications Information Technician of the Year – Craig Hamilton – BCES/SE-COMM
Telecommunicator of the Year Team Award – Skagit County 911:
STACEY CLIFTON, THOMAS BURRIS, CHRIS WILSON, DAVID SACKMAN, MELINDA
RODENBERGER, KRYSTA BILLIEU, ROBERTA PARKER, BETH FUGIER, KRYSTA SKONARD, FAYE
WHITNEY, SANDRA BURTON, JULIA BOYER, KATHRYN HANSEN, & APRIL HUSTEAD
Please plan to attend our
Annual Chapter Awards Banquet
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Blvd
Kennewick, WA
NOMINATIONS:
TELECOMMUNICATOR CRITICAL INCIDENT:
MACC – by Jennie Salinas, Nominee - Kayleen Simpson
TCOMM – by Jennifer Wood-Riddle; Nominee – Ed Trevorrow
TELECOMMUNICATOR SUSTAINED:
CENCOM – By Christine Law; Nominee - Shawn Handel
NORCOM – By Cassandra Hogue; Nominee - Becky McCracken
TEAM AWARD:
SnoCom 911 – By Debbie Grady; Team - Jolene Kennedy, Bryan
Blackman, Lindsay Gregory, Margie Penman, Terri Carsen, Darryl
Grant, Dave Friedman, Sean Daily, Derek Wilson, Mike Waters,
Lindsay Payton, John Chenoweth, Lisa Andrews, Karen McKay, and
Andie Hanson
Valleycom – By Denese Moore and Mike Densmore; Team - Andrea
Raker, Patti McIntosh, Yvonne Rhoades, Adrienne Byers, Scott
Weeda, Mark Elliott, and Chancli Conaway
Gray’s Harbor 911 – By Peggy Fouts; Team - Katie Woods, Wendy
Richey, Katie Johnson, and Shannon Bunnell
CENCOM – by Jason Meeder; Team - Sarah Portrey, Jason Meeder,
Monnet Cummings, Stacey Bugg, Tami Cowan, and Jill Clancey
Spokane 911 – by Scott Jenkins; - Team – Anthony Kilbourne,
Charlene Honick, Stephanie Hattenburg, and Sharene Wergin
SAVE THE DATES!
FALL FORUM 2014
October 21-23
Northern Quest
Spokane, WA
RESERVATION NUMBER
1-877-871-6772
PUBLIC INFORMATION IN AN
ALL-HAZARDS INCIDENT
Make your FALL FORUM hotel reservations today. Room
rate is $88.00 single occupancy and $108.00 double
occupancy. Mention APCO to get the block rate.
The last event ends by 1400 hours on the 23rd. Keep in
mind there may be committee meetings on the 20th but
none are scheduled yet.
The agenda "finalized" by the July AC meeting at the latest.
9
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
What Does It Mean To Be A 911 Dispatcher
By Lead Dispatcher Helen Terry, MACC 911
You ask what it means to be a 911 dispatcher, what is it that they do
day after day? You can describe the job as stressful, exciting, sedentary,
and every one of those adjectives is correct. But, what does it really
mean to be a 911 dispatcher? What is it that someone who claims to
be a 911 dispatcher REALLY does? Well, I have the inside scoop, so let
me tell you.
A 911 dispatcher talks to person, after person, after person each with their own crisis. Sometimes the crisis seems
small, a barking dog, a vehicle parked where it shouldn't be. Sometimes the crisis is big, a suicidal person, a cardiac
arrest, a shooting. Either way, a dispatcher answers the phone and deals with each crisis. They don't get to say it
isn't anything big and tell the caller to call back later. They don't get to say they aren't equipped to deal with a
grieving parent, a scared child, or an annoyed neighbor. This is their job and they do it. Each call has to be handled
from beginning to end, there is no putting it off until more time can be found to deal with it, no waiting until
tomorrow.
A 911 dispatcher has to be empathetic, not sympathetic. They have to take control of a hysterical caller, calm an
angry shopper, reassure a panicked parent whose child is missing, be someone that a person who thinks life is no
longer worth living can talk to. They have to know when to be stern and when to be passive. They cannot coddle
someone, taking the responsibility to make everything better, but they do have to understand where the caller is
coming from and be willing to help. They have to put aside their own feelings, build a wall to hold their emotions
in check, yet be strong enough to feel for the caller. It's not an easy task, yet it is one that every dispatcher does
because they make a difference when they do.
Unlike the first responders, a 911 dispatcher doesn't always get to know the outcome of a call. They have to be
willing to step in, take control, get help enroute, then back out and let someone else handle it. They don't have to
see the fatal accident, choking patient, assaulted female, but they have to hear it. They have to be able to put
themselves, visually, in the situation and be sure to get every bit of pertinent information for those that do
respond. They have to worry about the responders, make sure they aren't missing anything that could be a safety
issue, listen on the radio when an officer asks for backup, a paramedic advises CPR is in progress, a firefighter says
there is someone inside the building that is burning. They are public safety responders, just in a different way.
A 911 dispatcher has to temper the excitement of being busy, spending their shift in the controlled chaos that is
their job, with the knowledge that someone else, the person on the other end of the phone, is having the worst
day of their life. They have to be willing to spend their shift, whatever hours those may be, sitting and doing
nothing much, just to be there when someone needs them more than anyone else. They have to be able to talk
the panicked parent through how to help their choking child, give CPR instructions to the adult that just came in
and found their parent not breathing, while listening for the officer wanting to do a traffic stop, run a drivers check,
or sign out on his cell phone. They take multi-tasking to a level most people wouldn't ever dream of, hear eight
different conversations at the same time, and still remain focused enough to hear the tremor in the voice of the
person on the phone telling them there is no emergency when they call back an open 911 line.
A 911 dispatcher has to rely on their co-workers to jump in and help them when chaos erupts. They cannot be a
one man team, the only person to handle it all. Their shoulders have to be wide enough to support a friend whose
had a bad day, their spine steel enough to take the biting comments from the responders because they have seen
or heard something that has gotten to them. They have to be able to leave all of the day's problems at the door
when they go home to their families. They miss out on family gatherings, recitals, games, holidays because they
have to work. They still have to answer the call when someone they know and care about is having a problem, a
parent is sick, a child in an accident, yet stay and work the radio until someone can come in and relieve them.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 11, SEE “DISPATCHER”
10
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
2014-2015 NENA Executive Board Elections
Voting for NENA’s 2014-2015 Executive Board is now open!
This election is for the following position:
Western Regional Director (two candidates; open to
voting-eligible NENA Members in the Western Region only)
Lisa Hoffmann, ENP
Monica Million, ENP
View candidate biographies and listen to the archived election webinar at 2014-2015 Election.
To vote: Enter the voting system through your secure ballot link below. Your email address and the Voter PIN
# assigned below will be utilized to validate your ballot. The deadline for voting is Tuesday, May 27, 5PM EST.
Please read any displayed voting instructions carefully and make your selection.
Your vote, once recorded, is irrevocable in the online voting system. If you have any questions about the
NENA Executive Board election, or online voting in general, please contact Bri Robinson, Member Services
Director, at [email protected] or 202.466.4911. The deadline for voting is Tuesday, May 27, 5 PM EST.
The elections for Second Vice President and Private Sector Director are uncontested, and therefore will not be
open for voting.
After the voting period has ended, the Election Committee will certify the results on Sunday, June 15 in
Nashville, TN, in accordance with NENA Bylaws. Join us at NENA 2014 in Nashville from June 14-19, where the
results of the election will be announced and your new Executive Board installed.
DISPATCHER - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
No matter how hard the job is, a 911 dispatcher knows that the one time they get to
help deliver a baby, save someone with CPR, or just get that thank you from a caller it
is worth everything they don't get. They don't expect recognition for what they do,
they just do it. They are people who want to help their fellow man. They want to be
the one that you turn to when you are having your worst day. It is a hard job, but it is
one of the most fulfilling ones that you could ever have. Most of them wouldn't trade
what they do for anything in the world. They like it and they are proud of it.
A 911 dispatcher comes to work everyday, ready to pick up the phone and help
someone in need. They don't know what each call will be, which one will be the high
priority, which one will end with a thank you. They only know that this is the job they
have chosen for themselves and they give their all to the community they serve, the responders they work with,
and each other. They are willing to sacrifice their time, their emotions, their very selves to helping out. It's not a
job for just anyone, it takes a special kind of person to give this way.
In this person's opinion, there couldn't be a harder, scarier, or more rewarding career. It is exciting, stressful,
scary, joyful, and just plain worth it. Being a 911 dispatcher can make you feel like you make a difference, not
just to the callers, but also to the community you live in, the responders you work with, the police officer who
hears your calm voice on the radio, the paramedic who knows all of their requests are being handled, and the
firefighter who knows you understand how emotionally trying their job can be. This is what it means to be a 911
dispatcher, what more could you ask for?
11
2014 Washington Public Safety Communications Conference - Schedule at a Glance (rev. 5/9/14)
Tuesday- June 24, 2014
0900-1530
1300-1745
Director/Manager’s Meeting (Rooms G and H) [Lunch Served at 1200-1300 Great Hall A]
Registration Open
TBD
1800-2100
Chapter Meeting (Room C)
Chapter Dinner (Great Hall A)
0745-0850
New Attendee Breakfast (Room C)- First Time Attendees Only
1630-1800
Wednesday- June 25, 2014
Opening Ceremony and Keynote Presentation “The High Consequence Environment and Just Culture” by
Paul LeSage(Great Hall A)
1015-1030
Break (Lobby/Cyber Café)
DR
AF
T
0900-1015
1030-1200
B
C
D
E
F
G
RF Noise – What It
Is and How to Fix It
State of the Nation
in NG9-1-1 & GIS
Self Directed Work
Teams
Hire for Behavior,
Train for Skills
ma’am Ma’am MA’AM
WA-TERT is Recruiting!
Joe Blaschka
John Joseph
Scott Peabody
Katy Myers
Geoff Rodgers
1200-1245
Lunch (Great Hall A)
1245-1415
Special Presentation “Opportunity is Always Knocking” by Albert Mensah
1415-1430
Break (Lobby/Cyber Café)
B
1430-1630
Maintaining Communication Services
with Legacy Microwave
David Taylor
C
1430-1530
Lights, Camera,
NG9-1-1
Diana Gijselaers
1530-1630
WA Master Address
System
Joy Paulus
D
E
Angee Bunk
F
Making the Team –
Preparing for Promotional Processes
Social Media and
You (And Your
Agency): Making he
Most of Facebook
and Twitter
Susan Beisheim
and Sheryl Mullen
H
Just Culture
Paul LeSage
G
H
Active Shooter
Resiliency:
Strengthening the
Core of Today’s
Workforce
Lucinda Black
Albert Mensah
Grace Larsen
1640-1710
Speed Networking (Hallway in front of rooms F, G, and H)
1715-1900
Vendor Floor Grand Opening (Lobby) & Reception (Great Halls B, C, and D)
1900-2000
Franklin County 911 Tour- Sign up at Registration before 1600 on Wednesday, meet in the convention center lobby at 1900. Transportation is on your own,
carpooling is encouraged.
Thursday- June 26, 2014
0830-0900
0900-1415
Speed Networking round 2 (Main Lobby – Great Hall A side)
Vendor Floor Open (Great Halls B, C, and D)
B
FirstNet and
Washington State
0900-1030
1030-1045
MSAG/GIS Track
Bill Schrier
D
Fostering Team
Collaboration and
Cooperation
Janice Corbin
Scott Peabody
NG9-1-1 Data
Creation, QA/QC,
Synchronization and
More
Managing Workplace Conflict
Janice Corbin
Lynn Palmer
1200-1415
TBD
TBD
F
Real World Operational Continuity
In Pursuit of
Telecommunicator
Certification
Rich Johnston
G
Josh Powell Case
Detective Gary
Sanders, Pierce
County Sheriff
Cleo Subido (WANT
Committee)
H
Pushing Hard and
Fast: The Caller’s
Experience of TCPR
Scott Stangenes
The Many Wonders
of CAD Integration
Diabetics Get “Sick”
Too!
Josh Powell Case
Detective Gary
Sanders. Pierce
County Sheriff
Cleo Subido
Rich Johnston
Social Security;
Your Questions
Answered – Roll It,
Take It, Leave It,
Move It
Marcelle Winn
Lunch (Great Halls B, C, and D), Dedicated Vendor Time
P25 Migration: The
Transition From
Analog
1415-1615
E
Break (Great Halls B, C, and D)
WiFi Basics
1045-1200
C
Rick Roark
Roy Kyser
GIS Panel Discussion
Answering the Call
– Positive Change
in a Challenging
Environment
Andy Leneweaver
Randy Barnes
I Am Not Alone…
Peer Support and
Mentoring
Chaplain Pat Ellis
In the “HOT” Seat:
Stress and Coping
Among 911
Telecommunicators
Clackamas Town
Center Shooting:
Lessons Learned
Mark Spross
Dr. Hendrika Meischke
Chapter Awards Reception (Lobby) [semi-formal]
Chapter Awards Dinner (Great Hall A) [semi-formal]
Friday- June 27, 2014
0815-0900
Breakfast (Great Hall A) & Chapter Officers Meeting (Room A/B)
0900-1200
Supersession “Combat Ethics” by Randy Barnes
REGISTER ONLINE AT: www.regonline.com/wapscc
Next Generation QA
– How to Get Ready
Now
John Wynia
WASHINGTON STATE
APCO-NENA CHAPTER
MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER
Whatcom 911 (Bellingham, Washington) - Deputy Director - Closes: May 9, 2014 5 pm.
For more information http://www.cob.org/employment/
_________________________________________________________________________
Skagit 911 (Mount Vernon, Washington) - Emergency Communications Dispatcher
Lateral - Open continuously.
For more information http://www.skagit911.us/
careers.html
_________________________________________________________________________
Cowlitz County 911 (Kelso, Washington) - 911 Dispatchers - Open until filled. For more
information http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/index.aspx?nid=1091 And check out the
recruitment poster: http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/243 Testing will
be administered via http://www.PublicSafetyTesting.com.
_________________________________________________________________________
Lincoln County Sheriff's Department (Davenport, Washington) - Communications/
Corrections Deputy and Deputy Sheriff Entry Level - Open until filled. For more
information http://www.co.lincoln.wa.us/Sheriff/employment/employment.htm
_________________________________________________________________________
Valley Communications Center (Kent, Washington) - Communications Officer I/
Communications Officer II (Call Receiver/Dispatcher) - Open until filled. For more
information www.valleycom.org)
_________________________________________________________________________
City of Issaquah (King County, Washington) - Communications Specialist - 911 Dispatch Lateral - Open until filled. For more information https://govjobstoday.com/Default.aspx
_________________________________________________________________________
Enumclaw Police Department (Enumclaw, Washington) - Emergency Communciations
Officer Entry Level and Lateral - Open until filled.
For more information
www.cityofenumclaw.net
_________________________________________________________________________
City of Yakima (Yakima, Washington) - 911 Calltaker, Public Safety Communications
Assistant Manager, Public Safety Dispatcher - Open until filled. For more information
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/yakimawa/default.cfm
_________________________________________________________________________
I-COM 911 (Island County, Washington) - Lateral Dispatcher - Open until filled. For
more information http://www.icom911.org/
_________________________________________________________________________
King County Sheriff's Office (Renton, Washington) - Communications Specialists - Open
until filled. For more information
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/kingcounty/default.cfm
_________________________________________________________________________
To publish articles on the
APCO Washington website,
Facebook, Twitter and
newsletter, contact any APCO
-NENA Executive Committee
Representative.
South Sound 911 (Tacoma, Washington) - Various openings - Open until filled
Communication Support Officer, Communication Officer, Dispatcher:
Please visit our website for more information and how to apply!
Client Services Technician:
Please visit our website for more information and how to apply!
Information Technology Technician:
Please visit our website for more information and how to apply!
___________________________________________________________________________
Sunnyside PD (Sunnyside, Washington) - Communication Officer & Corrections/
Communications Officer - Open until filled. For more information
http://www.ci.sunnyside.wa.us
___________________________________________________________________________
NORCOM (Bellevue, Washington) – Telecommunicator - Open until filled. For more
information www.norcom.org
___________________________________________________________________________
SNOPAC 911 (Snohomish County, Washington) - 911 Call Taker - Open Continuously. For
more information www.snopac911.us
___________________________________________________________________________
Kitsap County – Cencom 911 (Port Orchard, Washington) - Financial Analyst - Open
continuously. For more information www.kitsapgov.com/jobline
Kitsap County – Cencom 911 (Port Orchard, Washington) - Operations Support Technician
– Open continuously. For more information www.kitsapgov.com/jobline
Kitsap County (Washington) - Emergency Telecommunicator (911 Dispatcher) – Lateral Open continuously. For more information www.kitsapgov.com/jobline
___________________________________________________________________________
City of Puyallup - Public Safety Dispatcher Lateral Entry - Open continuously. For more
information www.cityofpuyallup.org
___________________________________________________________________________
Washington State Patrol Communications Division - Communications Officer and 911 Call
Receiver - Continuous. For more information
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/employment/communications.htm
___________________________________________________________________________
Redmond Police Department - Dispatcher Lateral & Entry Level - Open until filled. For
more information
http://www.redmond.gov/Government/Employment/EmploymentOpportunities/
2013-2014 APCO-NENA Executive Committee:
President
President Elect
APCO Treasurer
NENA Treasurer
Exec Council Rep
West Side at Large
East Side at Large
Secretary
Commercial Advisory
Past President
Sheryl Mullen
Deanna Wells
Richard Kirton
Alice Johnson
Stephanie Fritts
Steve Romberg
Jackie Jones
Laura Caster
Mark Enfield
Brenda Cantu
Contact information can be found at: www.waapconena.org
13
NORCOM
Cowlitz County
CENCOM
ICOM 911
PACCOM
Port Angeles Police Dept.
MACC 911
Snohomish County E-911
Westek Marketing
Independent