Feb/March 2017 Program

Program subject to change.

Tuesday, February 28
8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast & Registration
8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. Welcome & Introduction
Cheryl Greathouse, President, APCO International
8:35 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. Keynote Address: OEC Priorities for 2017 and the Ever-Changing Communication ECO-System
Rear Admiral Ron Hewitt, Director, Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications
9:05 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. NG9-1-1 Implementation Strategies & Considerations
Jay English, Public Safety Program Manager, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center, National Coordinating Center for Communications
This session will explain what NG9-1-1 means, identify issues that PSAPs should be aware of and provide some information on how to decide what makes the most sense for your comm center.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Tech Talks (2)
Transitioning from TTY and Legacy Text-to-911 to Advanced Real-Time Text (RTT)
Christian Militeau, Director, Technical Standards, West Safety Services
With a change to the FCC’s rules in December 2016, real-time text (RTT) has the potential to enable faster, more robust communications with 9-1-1 via IP networks than TTY or normal SMS text-to-911. As with any new technology, however, PSAPs must have the funding, policies, personnel, and other resources in place, and there must be consensus-based end-to-end standards to ensure interoperability between users and PSAPs to fully benefit from the enhanced features.
ESInet Building Blocks for NG9-1-1
Mark Titus, Lead Product Marketing Manager – Public Safety Solutions, AT&T
PSAPs today are migrating toward the use of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) technology in order to better serve the demands and expectations of their citizens. Many see the Emergency Services Internet Protocol Network (ESInet) as the centerpiece of NG9-1-1, providing the foundation for enhanced public safety applications. ESInet systems are broadband networks enabling secure, reliable transmission of 9-1-1 calls, text, multimedia, etc. that can assist in sharing of emergency data between PSAPs. Learn how ESInets can benefit your agency and determine if the time is right.
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Improving 9-1-1 Location Accuracy
Jeff Cohen, Chief Counsel and Director of Government Relations, APCO International
The recent FCC Order on 9-1-1 location accuracy was a landmark decision based upon the prior efforts of the wireless industry, working with APCO and NENA, to develop a consensus proposal. Join us for an update on the work of multiple stakeholders toward implementing the game-changing solutions envisioned by the FCC Order.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Tech Talks 
Lessons Learned from ESInet Deployments
Jared Hertzler, Director, Technical Sales, Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
As more and more agencies and governments are beginning to plan their transition to NG9-1-1 solutions, it is critical to review some of the fundamental questions necessary for a successful ESInet deployment, ranging from network providers, core components, and call handling to security, GIS, and operational support during and after implementation.
Integrating LTE Into Rescue 21
Mike Thorlin, Business Development Manager, LTE Technology and Strategy, General Dynamics Mission Systems
1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. FirstNet’s Edge
Bill Schrier, Senior Advisor, FirstNet
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Tech Talks 
Putting Your PSAP in the Cloud
Soyeon Yu, Client Solutions Manager, Mark43
The benefits of cloud technology for PSAPs are numerous: maximum uptime, worry-free security, easier information sharing, and more predictable pricing. But with current systems tied to on-premise servers, how does your agency even go about making the switch? Mark43 Client Solutions Manager Soyeon Yu will walk through a step-by-step cloud implementation plan for single and multi-agency environments, using case studies from Mark43’s CAD deployments. She will also provide general procurement tips and suggested questions for your cloud vendor.
The Thanksgiving PSAP Cyber Attack: A Case Study
Tim Lorello, President & CEO, SecuLore Solutions, LLC
San Francisco Municipal Transport was hit by a much-publicized nasty ransomware attack over Thanksgiving. What most people do not know is that a county PSAP was hit by the same hacker. Only the creative efforts of the IT staff prevented the loss of their entire 911 call-taking capability. Cyber attacks on public safety are real and potentially devastating. Learn about this ransomware attack, what was done to stop it, and what they learned to prevent it from happening again.
3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. NIST Public Safety Communications Research Open Innovation Accelerator – Mission and Opportunities
Nancy Merritt, Ph.D., PSCR Innovation Accelerator, NIST
The Public Safety Communications Research Division (PSCR) of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) recently announced a $30 million grant program to fund research and development in public safety communications. Learn more about the program’s goals and how public safety professionals can get involved.
4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Closing remarks
Holly Wayt, 2nd Vice President, APCO International
Wednesday, March 1
8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. Welcome & Introduction
Martha Carter, 1st Vice President, APCO International
8:35 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Building the Path to NG9-1-1: Super Highway or Gravel Road
Richard Taylor, ENP, Executive Director, North Carolina 9-1-1 Board; Dave Corn, Network Specialist, North Carolina 9-1-1 Board
Hear about how North Carolina is building the infrastructure for a new 9-1-1.
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Project 43: Broadband Implications for the PSAP
Jeff Cohen, Chief Counsel and Director of Government Relations, APCO International
Technology is changing at an incredibly rapid pace, and we need to make sure our community stays ahead of the curve. Join us for an overview of Project 43 and how this major effort can help the public safety communications profession prepare for the impacts of evolving broadband communications technologies.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Cybersecurity and Public Safety Communications
Jay English, Public Safety Program Manager, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center, National Coordinating Center for Communications
Next Generation communications systems bring exciting new capabilities and possibilities to our PSAPs. However, as with anything technology related, they also present new challenges. While we may be aware that threats exist, many do not understand just how vulnerable our public safety systems are to cyber attack. This session will explore the current threat environment as it relates to the networks and systems of Next Generation 9-1-1 and FirstNet, as well as the threat to public safety networks of today. This discussion should illustrate the need to implement cybersecurity best practices and begin construction of secure, monitored, redundant and resilient core cyber capabilities sooner rather than later. In addition, the recently approved Task Force on Optimal PSAP Architecture (TFOPA) Working Group 1 report on Cybersecurity will be discussed, including information sharing and cooperative cyber defense strategies and opportunities, as well as some specific architectural options.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Next-Gen Emergency Alerting: A New Paradigm for First Responders, Emergency Managers and the Public
Fred Engel, Senior Director of Technology, UNC-TV; Adam Woodlief, Director of Engineering Services, UNC-TV; Peter Sockett, Director of Engineering and Operations, Capitol Broadcasting Company

The Advanced Warning and Response Network (AWARN), based on the all-IP Next Generation Television platform, ATSC 3.0, will provide the most advanced emergency alerting system in the world. Utilizing broadcasting’s one-to-many architecture, AWARN will deliver alerts, even when the cellular network is congested or the grid is down.

This presentation will provide a briefing on the capabilities and deployment status of AWARN, including a closer look at our next prototype alert demo based on an Active Shooter Incident for the public and encrypted communications for First Responders. It also serves as an opportunity for the Public Safety community to provide input as this powerful new system takes shape.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. Tech Talk 
Making Public Safety Apps as Safe and Effective as Possible
Mark Reddish, Senior Counsel & Manager of Government Relations, APCO International
APCO staff will lead an interactive session on 9-1-1 mobile apps.
1:25 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. FirstNet & NG9-1-1
Jay English, Public Safety Program Manager, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center, National Coordinating Center for Communications
The roll-out of the FirstNet nationwide public safety broadband network presents a number of opportunities to ensure seamless integration with Next Generation 9-1-1 systems. The combination of these two advanced communications networks is the future of emergency response, and will lead to new levels of operational effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of emergency services. Learn how the PSAP will serve as the nerve center between the general public and the first responder community.
2:10 p.m. – 2:25 p.m. Break
2:25 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Emerging Technologies – Regulatory and Legislative Developments
Jeff Cohen, Chief Counsel and Director of Government Relations, APCO International
APCO’s Chief Counsel will provide an update on the latest regulatory and legislative developments impacting public safety communications.
3:25 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Closing Remarks and Conference Wrap-up
Brent Lee, Immediate Past President, APCO International