Does this city look familiar? It sure does! NENA was here just last year for its annual conference. It's a close call again when NENA heads to Denver in 2003, and then APCO holds its conference there in 2005.

The Salt Lake Buzz minor league baseball team are now the Stingers. They're playing in town Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. each night. Wednesday night is both Dollar Dog night and AARP mousepad night. Take the TRAX light rail to the the Ballpark station, 1300 South. The team leads the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.

The Utah County Sheriff set up a county-wide crime tip line last month: 370-UTIP. It rings directly to detectives until 5 p.m., and to dispatchers after that. The number will soon be painted on sheriff's patrol cars. The agency had a similar line 12 years ago, but staffing shortages and other changes caused the line to be dropped.

Did you know that Utah law forbids ads promoting alcoholic beverages stronger than 3.2% beer? But now a federal appeals court has blocked the law, saying the ban on one type of alcoholic drink is "irrational." A lower court will decide the issue.

The federal trial of several persons charged with bribery and racketeering in obtaining the 2002 Winter Olympic Games for SLC continues: a judge threw out some of the bribery charges, but two men still face other charges that they bribed International Olympic Committee members to select SLC by paying them and their relatives $1 million in cash, travel and perks.

DISPATCH Monthly Magazine's Coverage of the
Annual Conference of the

Association of Public Safety
Communications Officials - International

Sports enthusiasts are expecting some legendary jumps next year from the top of the 7,339-foot ski jump during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Unfortunately, no such leaps are likely during the next year in public safety communications.

Instead, it will be a continuation of the slow and methodical work on the issues of wireless E911, the 700 MHz allocation, certification, 800 MHz inteference, CAD interoperability, PBXs, staffing, telematics, 311, ergonomics and many others.

And that's why several thousand public safety communicators mark the APCO conference on their calendar--to recount what has occurred during the past year, and plot goals and strategy for the upcoming years. With a full compliment of over 120 educational seminars, several pre-conference courses, and the opportunity to network with professionals from around the world, this APCO event is the best opportunity to receive, give and swap information on public safety communications.

Many of the APCO conference events will feature a Winter Olympic Games theme, including MANAPCO night. Look for other sports-related events during other APCO meetings, and on the trade show floor.

DISPATCH Monthly Magazine will be there from start to finish, covering the sessions, the huge trade show of companies' products and services, PSAPs tours and other events. We'll be posting daily, on-line photos and stories direct from Salt Lake City each day.

Here's our preview of the conference, educational sessions, social events, and a tour of the city. Also see our 2000 NENA conference report for more information about the city and its attractions.

Sunday update, 11:30 p.m.

The attendees' Welcome Reception was shoe-horned into a ballroom at the Wyndham Hotel adjacent to the convention center. It featured a live disc jockey and dance floor where inflated beach balls were tossed, kicked and otherwise propelled around the room. Outside, there were two buffet lines of food.

We understand that at least one group of dispatchers left the reception early, sped 241 west to Wendover (Nev.), and spent the night gambling, before driving back to attend Monday's opening events.

7 p.m.

The highway construction ahead of the Olympic Winter Games is largely finished, allowing an 8-minute shuttle trip from the airport to the Little America Hotel. But--oh!--that three-block walk from the hotel to the Salt Palace Convention Center to pick up registration materials.

The desert air and 100+ degree temperatures of Salt Lake City suck the moisture out of you quickly. Window washers don't work during the day, but are spotted hanging 15 stories up at midnight. Fortunately, registering at the APCO conference brings with it a very nice, forest green backpack, complete with external water bottle holder--and water bottle! The registration and credential pick-up areas, and the APCO store were fairly quiet on Sunday afternoon. But the "future locations" booths, such as Nashville, were busy! Scattered around the convention center were sign-boards showing this year's recipients of APCO's annual awards.

Ironically, an attendee from Monterey (Calif.) taped a job opening to the poster for the pre-conference meeting of APCO's Staffing Crisis Committee. The county is looking for a Telecommunications Operations Manager, a Comm Engineer II, an Engineering Aide III and Radio Shop-Comm Tech II. Surf their Web site for more information.

Of course, the main topic of conversation among attendees seeing each other for the first time in a year--and a great ice-breaker for strangers--is, "How many positions down are you?" From conversations with several dispatchers, it seems obvious that the staffing shortage has not been helped by the dot.com turn-down--it's just as difficult now to find applicants as it was before. In some cases dispatchers are working 20 hours a week of overtime--every week--to offset vacancy rates that are nearly 50%. One dispatcher from New York City said they're looking to hire 500 dispatchers, but would be happy with 100!

Speaking of jobs, the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command is still looking for volunteer dispatchers to assist them in handling communications during the Winter Games. You have to be on-site starting next Feb. 8, and provide a letter from your agency and a resumé. You can register on-line and fill-out the necessary forms--follow these instructions that the UOPSC provided.

Among the most-recent exhibitors to sign on to the conference is a company selling die-cut, rubber "donuts" designed to fit around the "9" and "1" keys on a cellular telephone, to help stop accidental key presses. The product is being marketed from booth 806 by S.A.C.C.--Stop Accident Cell Calls.

Former Olympian Henry Marsh will be the keynote speakers at Monday's Opening Luncheon. Marsh was the second American male runner to make four Olympic teams, and after 19 years still holds the American record for the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

APCO will given an overview of the joint APCO-NENA-NASNA review of Phase II waivers that seem to be so prevalent lately. A panel will explain the review process and discuss the current status of waiver requests. Mark Wednesday, 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. on your calendar.

Out-going APCO president Lyle Gallagher's monthly column in August issue of "Public Safety Communications" magazine noted the association's progress on many projects during the past year. It also teased that the International Committee would unveil "its plan for further expansion" of the organization.

In the same issue, Tom Hodgson of the Utah County (Utah) Sheriff's Office penned a story titled, "Winter Surval, Utah-Style"--another irony. Where is the summer survival information?

APCO will reportedly provide daily photos and updates of the conference on its Web site for those who can't attend the conference. The group is also producing "The Daily Bulletin," a printed edition with schedule updates and other timely news for attendees at the show.

Step-By-Step

Stop by APCO's Web site that includes full information about the conference, the schedule and other vital information.

When you first arrive, check in at the convention center to complete your conference registration, or pick up your badge holder if you pre-registered. Your materials will include a forest green backpack! Then walk over to the easel boards nearby to sign up for one of the PSAP tours: Salt Lake City's police and fire center, and the just-finished Valley Emergency Communications Center. Sign up on the easel boards in the registration area.

You should also drop by the Nashville (Tenn.) chapter booth near the registration area--they are hosting next year's APCO conference. And if you purchase a T-shirt for $5, you'll be entered in a drawing to win free conference registration in 2002, and a free stay at the Opryland Hotel during the conference.

Salt Lake City is one of America's most scenic locations. From the hills surrounding the city, to the state capitol, to the nearby ski resorts of Park City, around the Mormon Temple, and along the shore of the Great Salt Lake, SLC is beautiful from any angle.

Weather during the conference should be sunny and warm! Temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 80s to upper 90s, and the humidity is traditionally low (20%). Because of the city's altitude (4,331), nights drop into the mid-60s. APCO has reportedly included water bottles in the backpack that attendees will receive with their registration materials.

For more information about Utah, SLC and local activities, check the CitySearch Web site.

On Sunday, APCO has arranged special reserved seating for the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir radio broadcast. APCO members should arrive at the Tabernacle (within the Temple grounds) between 8:45 a.m. and 9 a.m. to insure seating.

Monday's kick-off sessions includes the general session from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and the opening luncheon starting at noon. Educational seminars begin at 1:45 p.m.

On Tuesday the first business session for APCO starts at 7:30 a.m., and the exhibit hall opens at 10 a.m. Educational sessions begin in the afternoon.

On Tuesday night APCO and its sponsors will present an evening of food, fun and "the spirit of the Olympic Winter Games." This annual evening event will feature the Flying Aces, a group frisbee athletes, along with Olympians Trace Worthington and Kris Fedderson demonstrating their skills on snowboards and skis. The night's entertainment will also include the Olympic Youth Development Team performing on rollerblades.

On Wednesday the exhibit hall and educational sessions continue all day. APCO's second general business session is held from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The exhibit hall closes at the end of the day.

On Thursday, there is a full day of educational sessions. On Thursday evening the conference comes to a close with the traditional banquet.

Hot Topics

If you're involved in licensing radio frequencies, consider attending one of the ULS/Form 601 seminars given by APCO's coordination director Ron Haraseth. It's given on Tuesday (3:15 to 5:15), Wednesday (8:30 to 10:30) and Thursday (10 to noon).

Among the 122 educational sessions, we've picked these "hot" topics for your consideration:

Monday

  • The Joy of Service - given by Rev. Dean Jackson of Provo PD, it will focus on overcoming burn-out and depression.
  • From Russia With Love - explains how firefighters work on shoestring budgets in Udmurtia, Russia.
  • Preparing for the Olympics - Steve Proctor explains the planning necessary to bring 50 agencies together for next year's Olympic Winter Games.
  • FCC Regulatory Panel on Wireless 911 - APCO's legal counsel Robert Gurss moderates this timely seminar.

Tuesday

  • CAD Standards - focuses on APCO's Project 36 to create inter-op standards for CAD software
  • Project LOCATE - discusses APCO's Project 38 effort to put Phase II in America's comm centers
  • Fire & EMS for the Olympic Games - another session explaining how area fire and EMS agencies are preparing for the 2002 Games.
  • 800 MHz Interference - what's being done to prevent interference on public safety systems, and how can current systems be modified?
  • TETRA Radio - a current view of TETRA systems being used for public safety around the world.
  • PBX and E911 - panel on the problems that PBXs present, and their solutions.

Wednesday

  • What's News in ADA? - discusses the latest developments for the Americans With Disabilities Act
  • Valley Communications - recounts how this center designed and constructed a new center in time for the Olympic Games.
  • 311 Today - Ralph Gould of Grand Rapids (Mich.) PD discusses the system, what problems it solves and costs.
  • Scheduling - Cindy Cline of Jefferson County (Colo.) SO talks facts, figures and practical tips on scheduling.
  • Wireless Number Portability - often thought of as the "next Phase II," how will public safety handle this wireless feature?
  • Salt Lake Hostage - recounts the 1994 hostage incident at the SLC library that ended in deadly force.

Thursday

  • Legal Issues - Recent Dept. of Labor, DOJ and court cases involving public safety dispatching
  • Telematics 101 - Robert Thompson of ATX Technologies, Inc. describes the basics of the up-and-coming consumer service.
  • Phantom Fanny 911 Calls - what can be done to reduce the number of accidental wireless 911 calls?
  • Emerging GIS Technology - is your comm center prepared to operate and maintain a geographical information system?
  • Customer Service - from the customers point of view.

Here's Everything

To help you prepare for the trip, we've assembled some Web links. Have fun!

  Salt Palace