PAAPCO - Pennsylvania Chapter, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials

PA APCO member wins

AFC Advisor Award

Fred Rosencrans was named the 2007 AFC Most Improved Advisor at the APCO International Conference. Fred is part of a network of Local Frequency Advisors throughout the United States. Local Advisors are APCO members who, on a volunteer basis, perform the technical analysis for the coordination process.

Congratulations Fred!

APCO International President Willis Carter addresses

Non-reimbursable Rebanding Costs with the FCC

Steering Committee to investigate the possibility of a Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce

The Keystone NENA Chapter along with the PA APCO Chapter, in collaboration with PEMA, have formed a steering committee to investigate the possibility of a Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce. Currently in its preliminary stages, the committee is investigating what paperwork and legal issues must be completed to form a state-wide team. The taskforce will serve as a resource, aiding centers, both statewide and nationally, in times of need. The North Carolina NENA chapter carved the program from the original Incident Dispatch Team concept, and created a state-wide team. The idea was to support each other in times of natural or man-made disasters. That NC Team was deployed to St. Tammany Parish, LA, after Hurricane Katrina. They served as dispatchers and call takers, and provided relief to the 911 Dispatchers who were overwhelmed from the disaster.

Serving on the PA Steering Committee:

Audrey Rychalsky, Chair, PA APCO/York County 911

Steve Keeley, PA APCO/Montgomery County 911

Guy Napolillo, PA NENA/Fayette County 911

Cindy Geiger, PA APCO/Berks County 911

Cindy Dietz, PA NENA/York County 911

JJ McFarland, PA APCO/PSP Harrisburg

Scott Krater, PA NENA/Schuylkill County 911

Chuck Hodges, PA APCO/Montgomery County 911

Ray Blouch, PEMA Representative

If anyone has any questions, or would like additional information, please contact the Steering Committee Chair, Audrey Rychalsky at ARRychalsky@ycdes.org or 717-840-2906.

From Audrey Rychalsky, Member at Large, PA APCO Executive Board:

I have been asked to participate with the "VoIP Funding and Regulatory Work Group". The committee chair is Mike McGrady and he is assisted by Dorothy Spears-Dean. We had our first conference call on 10/14/2004 and during that session; we broke the group down into five separate work groups. Those groups include the following:

1. Current Funding Model: Telecommunication services and information services are treated as distinct and separate. Since VoIP is considered an information service, it is essentially unregulated. Telecommunications is subject to regulatory oversight. VoIP providers are not required to contribute to universal service programs, pay access charges for interconnection with the PSTN, provide E911 services, or comply with NANP protocol. The impact of this is a loss of surcharge revenue attributable to VoIP 911 calls.

2. Potential Funding Model: IP convergence is the consequence of data centric migration within information systems and info technology. Any potential VoIP funding model must provide a mechanism to revitalize the 911 infrastructure and facilitate direct IP connectivity within the 911 network. A potential funding model is a communications framework based on the network layers model.

3. Funding for On-Going Day-to-Day Operations: This is the subcommittee I have been asked to facilitate, and my co-members are Randy Hird from OnPoint, and Dale Morgenstern from AT&T. We have been asked to look at the impact VoIP 911 calls will have on PSAP operations and how funding will impact those operations. Investigate how VoIP trend analysis and legislative actions will affect funding; how universal service programs, access charges for interconnection with the PSTN, provisions for E911 service and compliance with NANP protocol financially will impact VoIP. Make recommendations for what the most appropriate methods for determining funding levels and distribution.

4. Funding for Upgrading or Migration to the New IP Based 911 Infrastructure: Funding models must be directly related to current PSAP equipment lifecycles and equipment replacement schedules. Cost effectiveness must drive migration. We are remodeling the 911 infrastructure, not demolishing it. The end result will mean direct IP telephony and PSAP interoperability.

5. Funding for 911 Implementation in Areas Where There is No 911 Service: Because VoIP providers do not currently contribute to the payment of access charges, and if the current regulatory access charge scheme remains unchanged, sharp increases in VoIP growth could result in steep increases in public program surcharges to ensure basic telephone service is affordable in rural, high-cost areas. Customers may not be able to afford broadband connectivity or may be beyond the reach of broadband networks.

PENNSYLVANIA APCO CHAPTER HONORS LONG-TIME MEMBER

Past President James R. Giannini, former Director of Public Safety for Montgomery County, Pa was recently honored for his many years of service in supporting the Pennsylvania Chapter of APCO. Jim now works for Plant Equipment in California. He became a member of APCO in 1982 and served as Chapter President in 1988. Jim co-chaired the East Coast Regional Conferences in Pennsylvania in 1986 and 1992. With the expertise gained in this, Jim served as the Chairman of the very successful National APCO Conference held in Pittsburgh in 1992.

In 1991, the Montgomery County Communications Center received one of the first APCO Certifications. Jim Giannini and Joe Hamilton, also a former Director of Montgomery County Public Safety, worked together to develop and write two Public Safety manuals which were made available Nationwide through APCO. The Standard Operation Procedures manual was written in 1990 and was followed up in 1992 by the Human Resources Manual.

Most recently Jim developed the first Pennsylvania APCO website and supported it even after his relocation to the West Coast. Jim now lives in California with his wife Linda, and son Jamie.

Wireless Update: Funds approved for distribution

On 2 June 2005, PEMA Director Adrian King sent letters to the Chief elected official of each County with the total eligible wireless funding from the requests submitted in March of this year. This was followed-up with a letter to 9-1-1 Coordinators with a breakdown of eligible funding and anticipated quarterly payments.

Each County should complete and return the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Payment Enrollment Form. This will directly deposit wireless funds and speed the process. In addition to the EFT, the County Certification needs to be signed and returned to PEMA. The certification, signed by a county official, states that the funds will be used in accordance with the law and approved plans.

So long as these documents are returned you can expect the first quarterly payment to be deposited by 1 August and subsequent payments made each quarter. For budgeting purposes, keep in mind that quarterly payment amounts are anticipated and the actual amount may change as wireless providers remit to the fund.

See what the PUC 911 Task Force
has accomplished

Click here to see the new PUC 911 Task Force webpage

Another Site Designed by Advanced Emergency Planning and Training