Virginia Chapter
National Emergency Number Association
Virginia Chapter
NENA Resources
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Resolution on Prepaid Wireless Communication Services and
Wireless 9-1-1 Emergency Services Fees and Surcharges
ARE
YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN EMERGENCY NUMBER PROFESSIONAL (ENP)?
1) Would
you like to demonstrate a mastery of the comprehensive knowledge base required
for emergency number program management?
2) Would
like to help raise industry standards and increase the respect and prestige of
those involved in 911?
3) Are
you willing to confirm your commitment to the 9-1-1 profession by showing you
are a leader in public safety and pledging you will stay aware of current
issues and developments in the field?
The
Virginia Chapter of NENA encourages and supports your interest in becoming an EMERGENCY
NUMBER PROFESSIONAL (ENP)!
The Virginia Chapter of NENA is taking a poll to see who
would be interested in becoming ENP certified.
We encourage you to:
1) click on ENP Certification link
above to see if you meet the eligibility criteria to sit for the ENP
examination
2) if
you are interested and eligible, submit an e-mail to: emmy.isbell@embarq.com with your name, address,
telephone number(s) and e-mail information by September 28, 2007.
Based on the number and location of those interested, the
Virginia ENPs are planning to develop study groups
throughout the state to actively assist and encourage those interested in
learning and becoming ENP certified and to also increase the participation in the
Virginia NENA Chapter.
It is up to you to take the first step by simply submitting
an e-mail and you will be on your way to becoming an Emergency Number
Professional! We look forward to getting
to know and work alongside you in achieving certification that signifies your
mastery of knowledge with recognition and acceptance within the 911 profession,
governmental agencies, the business community and the general public.
I want to personally thank you for your interest in becoming
an ENP. You have taken the first step in furthering your professional career
and becoming a leader in this ever changing and fast paced career, the 911
Industry. On behalf of the Virginia Chapter of NENA (VENA) Executive Board, we
wish you good luck, and best wishes. Let any of us know if we can further
assist you in your endeavors!
Rodney Gentry, ENP
Virginia Chapter President –
NENA
■
OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE ANNA G. ESHOO
(CA-14)
House Approves Eshoo Amendment to Fund E9-1-1 Grants
Grants would improve mobile phone emergency call
location technology
WASHINGTON,
D.C. - The House of Representatives voted 340 to 87 today to approve an
amendment by Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, co-Chair of the
Congressional E9-1-1 Caucus, to provide $5 million for grants to upgrade 9-1-1
call centers to trace the location of emergency calls made with mobile phones.
"With
the increasing number of emergency calls being made with mobile phones, 9-1-1
call centers have to be able to quickly identify the location of callers in
crisis situations," Eshoo said. "This funding will upgrade and
enhance 9-1-1 centers with the technology necessary to respond to mobile phone
users who need emergency help."
Eshoo
sponsored the ENHANCE 9-1-1 Act, which became law in 2004 and created a
grant program to pay 50% of the cost of upgrading 9-1-1 call centers so they
can provide the most precise location of an emergency call from a mobile phone.
Since 1995, the number of 9-1-1 calls made by mobile phones has more than
doubled to over 50 million a year.
The program
was authorized to provide up to $1.25 billion in grants over five years but
Congress has yet to fund the program, leaving significant coverage gaps in many
communities across the country. Approximately 1,200 counties nationwide have
9-1-1 call centers that cannot call back or locate an emergency call from a
mobile phone.
The funding
in Eshoo's amendment would provide grants to 54 smaller counties to upgrade
their wireless E9-1-1 capabilities or to up to 17 counties with populations
over 100,000.
The
amendment to H.R. 3093, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008, is endorsed by the National
Emergency Number Association and the Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials.
■
House
E9-1-1 Caucus Co-Chairs Introduce National 9-1-1 Education Month Resolution
All,
I wanted you all to be aware that the House E9-1-1 Caucus Co-Chairs earlier this week officially introduced legislation that would establish a National 9-1-1 Education Month (H. Res. 537). The language is below. The goal is to promote increased 9-1-1 education at all levels with an increased level of attention at the national level . The language is virtually identical to a similar resolution adopted by the NENA board in June which is available at http://www.nena.org/media/files/National9-1-1EducationMonthResolution06.14.2007.pdf
Best regards,
Patrick Halley
Government Affairs Director
------------------------------------------------------------
National Emergency Number Association
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 537
IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Ms. ESHOO (for herself, Mr. SHIMKUS, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, Mr. WELLER of Illinois, Mr. TERRY, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Mrs. MYRICK, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. COBLE, Mr. TURNER, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. PRICE of North Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
RESOLUTION
Whereas 9-1-1 is nationally recognized as the number to call in an emergency to receive immediate help from police, fire, emergency medical services, or other appropriate emergency response entities;
Whereas in 1967, the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that a `single number should be established' nationwide for reporting emergency situations and other Federal Government agencies and various governmental officials also supported and encouraged the recommendation;
Whereas in 1968, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T)
announced that it would establish the digits 9-1-1 as the emergency code
throughout the
Whereas 9-1-1 was designated by Congress as the national emergency call number under the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-81);
Whereas the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-494) established enhanced 9-1-1 as `a high national priority' as part of our Nation's homeland security and public safety;
Whereas it is important that policy makers at all levels of government understand the importance of 9-1-1, how the system works today, and the steps that are needed to modernize the 9-1-1 system;
Whereas the 9-1-1 system is the connection between the eyes and ears of the
public and the emergency response system in the
Whereas there are over 6,000 9-1-1 public safety answering points (PSAPs) serving more than 3,000 counties and parishes
throughout the
Whereas public safety answering points answer more than 200,000,000 9-1-1 calls each year in the United States and a growing number of 9-1-1 calls are made using wireless and Internet Protocol-based communications services;
Whereas a growing segment of the population, including the deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind, and individuals with speech disabilities, are increasingly communicating with nontraditional text, video, and instant messaging communications services and expect these services to be able to connect directly to 9-1-1;
Whereas the growth and variety of means of communications, including mobile and Internet Protocol-based systems, impose challenges for accessing 9-1-1 and implementing enhanced 9-1-1 and require increased education and awareness about their capabilities;
Whereas numerous other N-1-1 and 800 number services exist for non-emergency situations, including 2-1-1, 3-1-1, 5-1-1, 7-1-1, 8-1-1, poison control centers, and mental health hotlines, and the public needs to be educated on when to use these services in addition to or instead of 9-1-1;
Whereas, international visitors and individuals immigrating to the United States make up an increasing part of the United States population in any given year, and such visitors and individuals may have limited knowledge of our emergency calling system;
Whereas people of all ages use 9-1-1 and it is critical to educate the public of all ages on the proper use of 9-1-1;
Whereas senior citizens are at high risk for needing access to 9-1-1 and a large segment of this population is learning to use new technology;
Whereas thousands of 9-1-1 calls are made every year by children properly trained on the use of 9-1-1 resulting in lives saved which underscores the critical importance of training children early in life about 9-1-1;
Whereas there is widespread misuse of the 9-1-1 system, including prank and non-emergency calls, which can result in costly and inefficient use of 9-1-1 and emergency response resources and a need to reduce this practice;
Whereas parents, teachers, and all other care givers need to play an active role in 9-1-1 education for children, but will do so only after being first educated themselves;
Whereas there are many avenues for 9-1-1 public educations such as safety fairs, school presentations, libraries, churches, businesses, public safety answering point tours or open houses, civic organizations and senior citizen centers;
Whereas children, parents, the National Parent Teachers Association, and teachers are important groups to educate about the importance of 9-1-1 through targeted outreach efforts to public and private school systems;
Whereas we as a Nation should strive to annually host at least one educational event in every school in the country every year regarding the proper use of 9-1-1;
Whereas an established National 9-1-1 Education Month could include public awareness events, including conferences and media outreach, training activities for parents, teachers, school administrators, other care givers and businesses; educational events in schools and other appropriate venues; and production and distribution of educational content on 9-1-1 designed to educate people of all ages on the importance and proper use of 9-1-1; and
Whereas Americans deserve the finest education we can offer regarding 9-1-1 education: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of an appropriate month as `National 9-1-1 Education Month' and the goals of such designation; and
(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation--
(A) designating a month as `National 9-1-1 Education Month'; and
(B) calling
upon Government officials, parents, teachers, school administrators, care
givers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the people of the