23rd Annual TENA Conference

TENA has worked hard to provide training seminars designed to meet the challenges of today's fast-paced and ever-changing world of Public Safety Telecommunications.  There will be seminars covering all aspects of Public Safety telecommunications from Communication Center Supervision; Front Line Dispatching Issues, Emergency Communications District Management to the latest updates in information and technology systems. You choose the programs you are interested in attending.

Again this year, CEU’s will be available, at no additional cost,  for the attendee.

The exhibition area, with over 20,000 sq. feet of space, will allow for vendors to bring in and display the latest in Public Safety telecommunications technology.

You will be able to view the equipment,  get a “hands-on” feel of it and talk directly to the providers. 

   NENA Pre-Conference Course

Saturday,  September 13   8:00 am - 4:00 pm

"Overcoming Negativity in the Communications Center"

   Instructor:  Sherry Decker

(must be pre-registered)

Is there a sign on the Communications Center door “Enter at your own risk?” A recent "Negativity in the Communications Center" survey exposed some of the deep secrets and opinions of 9-1-1 emergency dispatcher and call takers. This course will delve into those fears, concerns, and lack of control issues.

The ALIVE Principal gives you to tools to overcome negativity and it is easy and fun. The principals will apply to your 9-1-1 life as well as your personal life. The students will be able to define negativity and identify the characteristics and differences between optimists, pessimists and realists. They will learn to identify negative behavior, body language and tone of voice. The course will describe ways negative behavior presents itself through internal, external and verbal pathways. You will learn the difference between perception and expectations.

Come to this course and learn to keep a positive attitude ALIVE in the Communications. Center and Stay ALIVE!

   PSTC Pre-Conference Course

Sunday, September 14    8:00 am - 4:00 pm

"In-Progress! - Dispatcher Training for Crimes of the New Millennium"

   Instructor:  Kevin Williett

(must be pre-registered)

Is your Communications Center prepared to recognize and respond to any “In-Progress” event? What type of specialized training has your staff received regarding events that like workplace violence, home invasion robberies, drive-by shootings, domestic violence events or robberies? This class will prepare your 911 professionals for these events. From child abductions to responder safety reminders, this class is fantastic! As with all PSTC classes, we offer great tools and techniques to use!

Topics Include

Recognizing the profile of a potentially aggressive workplace violence suspect. The Dispatchers tactical role and response to an “active shooter event”. Proper handling of missing or abducted child calls. Great reminders of citizen and responder safety during domestic and family violence events. Pre-planning strategies for handling in-progress events. Questions you can ask to assist in the prosecution of suspects. There is also a strong emphasis on safety issues during high risk events including pursuits and much, much more.

We will help prepare your staff to strengthen their skills in handling events that they feel they are unprepared for. This class gets immediate results and prepares your call taking and dispatch professionals for in-progress events.

Lessons learned from around the nation will plant seeds in the mind of each student to help you react effectively during in-progress events. You will learn new techniques and reminded of great tools to use. Students love this class and gain knowledge and networking.

   NIMS Pre-Conference Course

Sunday, September 14    8:00 am - 4:00 pm

"NIMS / ICS TRAINING"

Instructor:  TFACA

(must be pre-registered)

While most emergency situations are handled locally, when there's a major incident help may be needed from other jurisdictions, the state and the federal government.  NIMS was developed so responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines can work together better to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, including acts of terrorism.  NIMS benefits include a unified approach to incident management; standard command and management structures; and emphasis on preparedness, mutual aid and resource management.

NIMS ICS-100 TRAINING.

Purpose of ICS; Basic Features of ICS; Incident Commander and Command Staff Functions; Describe the basic ICS facilities; Describe common mobilization responsibilities and common responsibilities at an incident, list individual accountability responsibilities, and describe common demobilization responsibilities.

NIMS ICS-200 TRAINING

Leadership and Management; Delegation of Authority and Management by Objectives; Functional Areas and Positions; Briefings/Meetings; Organizational Flexibility; Transfer of Command

The NIMS/ICS training and certification is required by TEMA & FEMA for all dispatchers responding on TERT.  This course will fulfill those requirements

8:00 am

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Make Nice in the Comm Center

Kevin Willett

Public Safety Training Consultants

A brief presentation on different personality styles and how to get along with them in the Communications Center.  With retention of employees in a major industry problem, it’s important that we are able to discern the good points of others and learn to reduce conflict within the workplace.

Fixed Mobile Convergence:

Where is my caller?

Lamerle Lee

Intrado, Inc

As wireless and VoIP converge, the service area is no longer defined by local coverage areas but by the network on which the call is made.  The service provider and access provider are not always the same.  Public safety policy discussions are ongoing to help the industry keep pace, particularly from the perspective of making sure calls are correctly routed (based on the caller’s location) and automatic location information is provided directly into the native 9-1-1 network. As convergence creates a new world of technical challenges in 9-1-1 delivery, how do we ensure that the public can access an emergency response agency when needed, and how can we ensure that the public safety communications professionals have the necessary information to process the call quickly and accurately?

Guarantees of what attendees will learn:

1. Why Automatic Location Determination is required to ensure effective E9-1-1 Service

2. What policy needs to be in place to ensure 9-1-1 receives accurate location information for the first responders

3. Overview of current policy environment

Update and PSAP Needs for Tennessee’s

NG-911 System

Rex Hollaway

TN ECB

This presentation will provide attendees with the current status of Tennessee’s IP-based Next Generation (NG) 911 network, NENA NG-911 standards, PSAP connectivity issues, and PSAP equipment needs.

TIPS Program

James Wood

TN OIR GIS

It’s been 5 years since the partnership between GIS Services and the Emergency Communications Board was formalized.  Since that time, the TIPS dataset has continued to grow with new data layers and newly implemented standards.  In 2008, Stage 1 of the street centerline enhancement work was completed, and Stage 2 was begun.  Now in a maintenance mode for the data layers, the participation by the Emergency Communications Districts will be more vital than ever.  Please attend this presentation to learn how the project has progressed, the future vision for this dataset, how you can get involved, and how it can positively impact your operations.

I Refuse to Smile

Kevin Willett

Public Safety Training Consultants

Do you have the famous member of your team who has made it their lifelong mission to be forever miserable? Do they spend great amounts of time and energy avoiding positive people? Have they even tried to build a “pity posse” within your communications center? Come by and enjoy this great session dedicated to building and keeping positive attitudes. Yes, even that 20 year individual that secretly scares you can be shown the path of a better attitude. We’ll also show how attitude relates to behavior and performance.

Earthquake Awareness for the 911 PSAP

Mark Grant, ENP

Dyersburg Emergency Communications

Gary Patterson

University of Memphis

Center for Earthquake Research

This high impact course will focus on “Best Practices” and “Lessons Learned” and is designed to provide class participants the necessary knowledge to improve the preparedness and survivability of a local 911dispatch center and the public safety radio communications infrastructure.

What do you do with your ALI data?

Mike Curtis

Rutherford Co. Office of Information Technology

Rutherford County uses a custom built Dot Net 2.0 application to provide redundant mapping of incoming 911 calls at four primary PSAPs, one secondary PSAP, and one backup PSAP.  This application serves several purposes including but not limited to: Mapping of 911 calls from direct ALI feeds, providing accurate designation of Lat/Long, searchable geocoding of addresses, look up of street names using at least three letters of the street name, and display of GIS data for further information in the response to emergencies.

What does the new NetTN do for your Center?

David Gleason, ENP

AT&T

A review of the services available on the new State OIR MPLS network that could help your center.

Policy and Procedure – What Went Wrong?

Kevin Willett

Public Safety Training Consultants

Is your current policy manual written or signed off by a deceased Chief? Is it collecting dust on the bottom shelf? Do you really follow the P&P that you have? Let PSTC help you with the construction of a real Policy and Procedure manual. This jam-packed session will cover a wide variety of issues that will help you return to your agency with great resources and answers to your questions.

NG 9-1-1:  101

Lamerle Lee

Intrado, Inc

How do you define Next Gen 9-1-1? There are many players in the industry defining their systems as Next Gen, but what does that mean?  As new players are entering public safety, there are many questions surrounding 9-1-1, policy and standards. 9-1-1 is a complex industry, which includes regulations, industry standards, networks, operations, to name a few. This will be a discussion what Next Gen truly means, what others might be calling it, and the many reasons to update to a true Next Gen infrastructure. Guarantees of what attendees will learn:

1. Overview of the basics of 9-1-1

2. Current policy, regulations and standards that affect 9-1-1

3. Overview of the future of 9-1-1

Emergency Notification System,

 Do You Have One?

Randy Porter,

Putnam County 911 Director

Discuss in detail what an Emergency Notification System is and how to create one. List and describe new technology that would allow a district to put together it’s own Emergency Notification System. Give a Powerpoint presentation that goes into detail from start to finish on how Putnam County created it’s system, called E-Alert”. Provide web links and contacts on hardware and software vendors that provide the different technologies available.

Being the Best!

Kevin Willett

Public Safety Training Consultants

This is a class to help you energize your batteries and calibrate your morale compass. We will cover ethics, dispatch mis-steps and drama in the dispatch center. PSTC will bring real-life events as examples and let you privately play along as we discuss decision making, setting priorities, ethical dilemmas and much more.

Rutherford County Communications Study –  EMS Radio Towers

Mike Curtis

Rutherford Co. Office of Information Technology

Rutherford County is topographically like a cereal bowel with cereal in it.  It has high ridges with some small hills in the middle.  This causes some unique challenges to emergency communications.  GIS technology with terrain analysis is able to predict problem areas and help locate new towers to eliminate dead spots.

TECB Roundtable

Lynn Questell; Randy Porter; Ike Lowry;

 Jim Barnes; Robert. McLeod; Rex Holloway;

Monica Smith Ashford

TN ECB

An overview of  activities conducted by the TECB during the last year and open forum for questions

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Pete Banks

Director of Training and Outreach

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) was created in 1984 as a resource for law enforcement, child protection professionals, and parents.  This session will focus on the dynamics of child victimization as it pertains to missing children and child sexual exploitation. This session will also identify many of the resources and training opportunities offered by NCMEC.

6:30 pm - 10:30 pm

 Banquet    sponsored in part by Motorola and AT&T     entertainment by Four on the Floor

Hurricane Katrina Lessons Learned

Lt. Robert Graham

Professional Dispatch Management

This course will inform the dispatchers about Hurricane Katrina and what happened in the dispatch center, the aftermath, and how to dispatch in severe weather.

The dispatchers instructing in this class were involved in Hurricane Katrina.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Maureen Culberson

Franklin Public Safety ECC

Communications.  The thing we do the most is the thing we do the worst. 

Understanding, as well as, utilizing good communications skills not only provides better service, but also reduces the stress level of the public safety professional.   This session will explore some of the communications techniques useful

to the public safety professional.

TERT in TENNESSEE

Lisa Fulton

Metro Nashville E-911 Center

Jennifer Estes

Loudon Co Emergency Communications

This session will be an overview of the Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT) activation in Macon County in February 2008. Nashville sent a team of dispatchers to help after the tornados devastated this county. We will host a discussion about the events of that week, obstacles encountered, lessons learned and what we need to think about for the future. Question & Answer to follow

Next Generation 911 Without Acronyms

Sam Bard, ENP

microDATA

Have you attended seminars on Next Generation 911, only to find yourself lost in sea of jargon, and acronyms?  Do you feel somewhat dizzy after about 5 minutes into these presentations?  Are you getting conflicting information on what Next Generation 911 is and when it will affect your local ECD (now, 5 years, 10 years, never…)?  This session will provide the attendee with straight forward information on Next Generation 911, the existing standards, and the standards that are being written currently.  The class is ½ presentation and ½ open discussion/Q&A.  The unique thing about this session is that the entire class is presented (without acronyms) in plain English with clear graphic illustrations.  Attendees will learn what they can be doing (or should not do) today to position their 911 systems to take advantage of Next Generation 911 TODAY.

The Rising Tide of Multimedia:  What your department needs to do to plan ahead.

Diamond Chaflawee

NICE

Investigations and incident reconstructions often hinge on multimedia - voice recordings, surveillance video, GPS data and even cell phone photos. The problem is -- today, most of this information is stored in different formats and systems that weren't designed for interoperability. With Next Gen 9-1-1, a rising tide of multimedia will make its way into the digital information stream. Learn what your department needs to do today to plan ahead.

Hot Button Issues for Wireless

Allen Muse, ENP & John Garner

AT&T

It’s been twelve years since the FCC issued its compliance order about Wireless E9-1-1 calls, creating a number of challenges for PSAPs and wireless carriers. Standards, database issues and procedures all had to be worked out. But the order also created two issues that later became important.

They have become “hot button” issues for public safety.  What to do about phones that don’t have service but can still dial 9-1-1, and how can a dispatcher make best use of a location estimate on a Phase II call?

This program is non-commercial and will provide management, supervisory and operations personnel with a current snapshot of these issues and where they are headed.

PSAP Design

Roxann Brown, ENP

L. Robert Kimball

PSAP Design-Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

After the elation that you are getting a new facility wears off, the terror sets in.  This class will give you a basic outline of how to get started, minimum needs and available tools.  We'll break the big rock into manageable pebbles and in a short period of time.

Legal / Legislative Update

Lynn Questell; Monica Smith Ashford;

TN ECB,

Senator Joe Haynes

TENA Legal Counsel

An overview of  legal, regulatory and legislative activities impacting 911 during the last year on the state and federal level and an open forum for questions.

911 System Monitoring – A Behind the Scenes Look at Monitoring

Steve Tuck,

PlantCML

Sometimes the reliability and stability of a 911 system is taken for granted, but one of the keys to success is the constant supervision by the supplier and manufacturer.  Monitoring provides the behind the scenes look at system health but can also be a valuable tool for software updates, security patches, system management and trouble shooting. These capabilities become much more important as platforms migrate from IIWS to Next Gen networks. The presentation will focus on both how systems are monitored and how Next Gen systems will require an even closer partnership between the PSAP, the supplier and the manufacturer.

Key Components to Effectively Intervene with Suicidal Callers

Kristin Morrow

Centerstone Health

Nothing can be more frightening then receiving a call from someone threatening to take their own life.  This presentation will outline and review the key components that must be assessed to ascertain the level of risk these calls present.  The dynamics present in an individual who is actively suicidal will be discussed along with interviews utilized to assist in those cases.  A video presentation will be included profiling 2 individuals who tried to kill themselves but lived

Cooperation, the Key to Interoperability

Ann Ditmore, Mike Burnette, Dan Manning

Central Communications & Electronics, Inc.

Overview of the history of interoperability and the technology available today with emphasis on cooperation among districts and entities involved in situations where interoperability is critical.  Discussion on how and when interoperability devices should be deployed.

Board Member 101:  Procedural and Operating Best Practices for

911 Boards

Lynn Questell; Jim Barnes;

 Robert McLeod;

 TN ECB 

An overview of  information necessary for an ECD board to conduct business including information on:

  Open Meeting Requirements

  Open Record Requirements

  Emergency Communications Law

  Requirements

  Conflict of Interest

  Revenue Standards

  Budgeting

  Bidding

Next Generation 9-1-1:

Half Way to the Wall

Terry Eby, ENP

NG-911, Inc.

Using the U.S. DOT COMMUNITY MODEL and data from the NENA NG911 Partners Program, a detailed review, without having a PHD in Electrical Engineering, of the NG911 concept that shows the PSAP Director, Database Manager, regional and state boards that there is a solution available today to get to real NG911.  A path that can be walked without always worrying about; Is the technology really ready; Is the network and security ready, Is the CPE equipment ready or am I really ready??  Taking known 9-1-1 calls problems and presenting real IP solutions

Anytime, Anywhere, Any Device:  More Than a Mantra

Toni Dunne,

Southeast Regional NENA Director

From TTYs originating in the early 60’s to Next Generation technologies, 9-1-1 is requiring a paradigm shift from what we know as traditional emergency communications. This session will review ADA mandates, discover viable solutions for PSAP compliance, and take a glimpse into what our future holds when providing emergency communications services to people with disabilities. Participants will obtain new insights and leave with valuable material to enhance operations.

Supervising Problem Employees

Lt. Robert Graham

Professional Dispatch Management

Every dispatch center has at least one problem employee whom, for whatever reason will not do, “what they are suppose to do,” “when they are suppose to do it,” or “how they are suppose to dot it.”  This course will give the dispatch supervisor the tools they need to supervise the behaviors of the problem employee.

It’s Not All Your Fault:  A Buyer’s Guide to Getting the Right Public Safety Software

Michael Warren, ENP

Emergitech

This presentation will discuss what typically happens during software procurement process from a vendors’ perspective.  A common sense guide to making your next public safety software purchase a better one.

Rules of Engagement…and Matrimony

Tommy Alderman,

ADSi

Guidelines for a Healthy Marriage, even when one of you is in public safety!

Interested? Bring your spouse, or come by yourself - but be prepared to be challenged with the truth.

The Next Generation of 911 Service

David Gleason, ENP

AT&T

What are you able to provide and what are services you will  need provided to meet the demands of NG9-1-1 for your citizens?

Baddressing:  A Case Study in Addressing Gone Wrong

Jon Greene,

Geo-Comm

problem.

GIS Resources During Times of Disaster

James Wood,

TN OIR GIS

Steve Jones,

Macon Co. 911

Tennessee has been hard-hit by tornadoes this year.  The Super Tuesday tornado outbreak was the deadliest in 75 years.  The mid-South is particularly vulnerable due to a number of factors including nighttime tornadoes and mobile home density.  When the skies clear and the day dawns, it’s time to start recovery, and GIS can play a significant role in streamlining that effort.  See examples from the Macon County tornado disaster and learn about additional resources that you can use to prepare for and implement should a disaster occur in your district.

Emergency Number Professional (ENP) Certification Program Overview

Michael Warren, ENP

NENA Institute Board President

This session is an introduction to the NENA ENP Program.  It will cover information about the purpose of the program along with the benefits of being an ENP. 

Information will be provided about eligibility requirements to sit for the exam along with the exam content and format.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Lt. Robert Graham

Professional Dispatch Management

This course seeks to inform the dispatcher on the good things dispatchers do, as well as some of errors that occur in the dispatch center.  This course also defines some of the so-called “ugly” incidents, which could possibly lead to injuries, or loss of life of others.  Ugly things are defined as mistakes that should never be made.  Learning material for this course will include 911 tapes, videos, memos, and articles.

Budget/ Financial Management

Jim Barnes and Robert McLeod

TN ECB

Budget and Financial Planning (Scheduling financial events)

Preparation of financial statements

Grant budget vs. Operational Budget

Procurement and Bidding (Flow chart of activities, rules of conduct)

Surety Bonds

Travel Regulations

Operational Revenue code

Quality Monitoring in the PSAP

Bill Behar

Commercial Electronics

What are the benefits of a Quality Monitor Program in a PSAP? Can turnover be reduced by using a Quality Monitoring tool?  Can a good quality monitoring program aid in training?  How do you implement a QM program?  Without tracking the information that is gathered the Quality Monitoring is useless. How do I make time to listen to ALL those calls?  These are few topics that will be covered.

Next Generation 911 for Dispatchers

Rex Hollaway

TN ECB

With the implementation of Tennessee’s Next Generation 911 network there will be new training requirements to ensure telecommunicators can cope with new information being received with a call as well as new equipment and software that may be implemented.

Regulatory Barriers to Next Generation E911 Deployments

Dick Dickinson

TeleCommunications System

Many of the capabilities of Next Generation E911 are available today, but have not been implemented due to regulatory barriers. Many state tariffs and regulations exist to protect or regulate the 911 System Providers, whose technology dates to the 1970s. In the old days, these regulations were necessary to protect the consumer from the monopolized 911 service providers, as well as to guarantee profits to these providers for bringing mandated 911 service to unprofitable regions. The new generation of IP technology makes these regulations obsolete. This presentation will look at why the existing rules are obsolete and how they inhibit technological advancement.

Using GIS-based Rapid Notification During Incident Response.

Theron Hatch, Don Griffis, Neill Jobe

 GeoJobe GIS

The ability to visualize incident locations on a map lends itself to Spatial Analysis and location-based customized Emergency Alerts.  Combining a multitude of available GIS data layers with an address file provides operators with an ability to pinpoint the required coverage area and the appropriate Rapid Notification response for that particular area and incident.  Example scenarios where area-specific alerting would be beneficial include train derailments with noxious chemical spill, hostage/barricade situations, bomb threats, tornado path of destruction, gas main break, and many more.  Being able to alert those in the vicinity of the incident within minutes can save lives.  Using industry standard tools, GIS-based Rapid Notification provides this response simply and quickly.