Expect to hear lots of sports-related talk in Tampa-- the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team just won the Stanley Cup, and the Buccaneers football team is always a subject for discussion!
Speaking of sports, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team is out of town during the week.
The weather is forecast to be in the lower 90s during the day, and upper 70s at night, with showers and thunderstrorms throughout the week. Bring raingear, an umbrella and sunscreen!
Did you know that the United Way operates 2-1-1 services in most areas of Florida, offering crisis referral services? The group has a call center with 6 full-time paid employees, and 12 part-time volunteers who handle about 225 calls a day.
The Tampa Fire Museum is at old Fire Sta. #1, at 720 E. Zack Street at Pierce St.
Tampa Fire Rescue has an on-line, live list of current incidents.
Tampa Police also have a live list of their current incidents.
Have some time on your hands? Check Busch Gardens about 8 miles north of Tampa.
The downtown Florida Aquarium offers a fantastic underwater world. They at 701 Channelside Dr.
If you get down to St. Petersburg, head for The Pier, with shops, restaurants and attractions.
2004 Annual Conference
National Emergency Number Association
Preview
Perhaps even in the midst of a deadly war in Iraq, America feels safer at home. At least the urgency of preparing for a terrorist attack has subsided, and America's public safety agencies are now focusing on the core issues of budgets, training and preparation for the day-to-day tasks that also serve as readiness for catastrophes.
The issues for this year's annual NENA conference cover lots of ground, and yet they all seem to come back to the group's core purpose: to put the number 9-1-1 into the hands of anyone who needs emergency help. In today's technological world, that isn't any easy task! Consumers are pushing to be connected via every possible means, including by radio and the Internet--and they want 911 to follow along with them, just in case.
So as cellular providers have continued to gain subscribers, and users have ventured into more far-flung regions of
the country with their phones, there are problems providing 911 service to everyone who dials. As Internet providers roll out voice services, NENA and other groups are grappling with how to best route 911 calls to the appropriate PSAP. Even satellite services are having to tackle 911 issues are more subscribers routinely use the phone on boats, in remote areas and even within the United States.
At the other end, in the PSAP, there are issues of procedure and technology: how do you handle silent calls, calls from airplanes, and how do you route calls to the right jurisdiction? And, of course, there are still the more mundane issues of staffing and budgeting, which are key to having the 911 lines answered at all.
Washington (DC) has become a major focus for NENA during the past year--the association moved their headquarters to offices just outside the capital during the past year. Both the House and Senate are considering the creation of a federal-level 911 coordination office, and there has been lots of other legislation that impacts the nation's PSAPs.
On Tap
This year's conference is once again divided into several tracks to make it easier to follow your particular area of interest:
- accessibility
- administration
- contingency planning
- database/GIS
- national issues
- operations
- public education
- technical aspects
- training
- wireless
Among the sessions that look hot are:
- How to Survive the Funding Gauntlet for IT Projects
- Consolidation From a PSAP Manager's Perspective
- It's Not Fair! How Employees' Perceptions of Unfairness Fuels the Staffing Crisis
- Preparing the Communications Center for Terrorism
- A National 9-1-1 System? It's Not As Far Away As You Think
- Emergency Telephone Notification Systems Standards Update
- VoIP Technical Issues
- VoIP In the Comm Center
- Pay It Forward - Customer Service Now!
- Making the Move to IP
Check the session brochure when you arrive to determine the day and time for these scheduled sessions.
Welcome Reception
At about 5 p.m. a wild thunderstorm swept up from the southern Gulf, sparking almost-continuous bolts of lightning and rolling thunder. The storm cleared off for about an hour, but then as the 7 p.m. hour approached for the "Welcome" reception, the rain, thunder and lightning began again--only harder.
The windshield wipers on the shuttle buses couldn't keep up with the downpour on the way over to the StarShip party boat, docked near the Hooter's restaurant, and just a stone's through from The Forum, where the Tampa Bay Lightning (appropriately enough) play hockey. Interestingly, the team's championship was overshadowed tonight by the appearance of Jessica Simpson at The Forum.
A steel drum band played under a set of tents, stilt-walkers patroled the venue, and someone dressed as a pirate (or was that Morgan O'Brien?) made small talk to party-goers. There was food and drink, but lots of wind and water outside. On board the StarShip, it was much cozier and dry, as NENA members sipped drinks and exchanged talk of VoIP, Phase II and other important matters of E911.
