IJIS Institute and APCO Launch Joint Emergency Communications Task Force

Ashburn, VA, March 15, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The IJIS Institute, a nonprofit organization that focuses on mission-critical information sharing for justice, public safety, and homeland security, and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International announce the recent formation of a joint Emergency Communications Task Force.

The purpose of the new Task Force is to define the scope and priority of issues relevant to information sharing and standards-based interoperability for NexGen emergency communications and data management technology solutions. The Emergency Communications Task Force is seeking input from industry and all levels of government – federal, state, local, tribal and territorial – to define the context of national standards.

The Task Force will work for six months on the projects members decide to pursue. After the Task Force has completed its tasks, and depending on its recommendations, an IJIS Institute Emergency Communications Advisory Committee may be formed.

An inaugural meeting of the new Task Force was held on Jan. 23 at the IJIS Institute’s 2013 Industry Briefing in Arlington, Va. Nearly 20 members of the new Task Force attended the first meeting. IJIS Institute Senior Project Manager Scott Parker is facilitating the Task Force and led the kickoff meeting, during which attendees discussed the major issues within Emergency Communications that the IJIS Institute should address.

Two co-chairs were chosen, one from industry and one from the public safety practitioner community. Dave Mulholland with the U.S. Park Police agreed to serve as practitioner co-chair, and Ted Koblick of the Force Protection and Security division of Intergraph Systems was selected as industry co-chair.

IJIS Institute Senior Program Manager Scott Parker facilitated the Emergency Communications Task Force’s first meeting. After a productive discussion about information sharing issues for the first responder community, Parker assigned Task Force members to carry out the group’s first efforts: to create a visual representation of the Emergency Communications environment, and to invite those identified as possible additions to join the Task Force.

IJIS Institute Executive Director Steve Ambrosini said, “I’m very pleased with the work that the Task Force accomplished in its first meeting. And I look forward to seeing the group’s recommendations for how the IJIS Institute and APCO can advance the development of interoperability standards for emergency communications.”

“We appreciate the work of the Committee thus far and look forward to their continued progress over the next months,” said APCO Executive Director Derek Poarch.

http://tinyurl.com/aajuc7f

About the IJIS Institute—The IJIS Institute unites the private and public sectors to improve mission-critical information sharing for those who protect and serve our communities. The IJIS Institute provides training, technical assistance, national scope issue management, and program management services to help government fully realize the power of information sharing. Founded in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with national headquarters on The George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, the IJIS Institute has grown to nearly 200 member and affiliate companies across the United States. For more information, visit www.IJIS.org. Follow IJIS on Twitter @ijisinstitute. Read the IJIS Factor Blog. Join us on LinkedIn at Justice and Public Safety Information Sharing.

About APCO—The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) is an international leader committed to providing complete public safety communications expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach to benefit our members and the public. APCO International commits to strengthen our communities by empowering and educating public safety communications professionals. For more information, visit www.apco.org.