NENA Launches Public Safety SmartBrief
Wednesday, September 28, 2011  NENA has launching a FREE e-mail news service called Public Safety SmartBrief. It will provide a weekly summary of news, trends, & updates on public safety issues – not just 9-1-1, but police, fire, & EMS as well. Public Safety SmartBrief brings you the news that really matters. Knowledgeable editors handpick key articles from hundreds of publications, summarize them, & provide direct links to the original sources. In other words, we do all the research & you get the latest news in your inbox or on your handheld device, absolutely free.Sign up now or read a sample issue.

National 9-1-1 Assessment Guidelines Public Comment Deadline Approaching
Monday, September 19, 2011  The National 9-1-1 Assessment Guidelines Working Group (NAGWG) requests feedback from 9-1-1 industry stakeholders on proposed guidelines that would serve as the basis for a statewide 9-1-1 program assessment process. All comments are due by Monday, September 26.

The National 9-1-1 Assessment Guidelines will serve as a comprehensive benchmark for statewide 9-1-1 systems to measure their progress as unique and important entities, and will help to facilitate a coordinated effort to advance 9-1-1 across the country. The Guidelines represent high-level functions that should exist within a statewide 9-1-1 system. Assessments will be used to provide recommendations for system enhancement and identify needs for resources to bridge gaps. Any assessment process that is established will be conducted on a voluntary basis.
The Guidelines are the result of a project of The 9-1-1 Resource Center, sponsored by the United States Department of Transportation’s National 9-1-1 Program,and were developed by the NAGWG using a consensus-based process. The NAGWG is comprised of 9-1-1 professionals that represent various segments of 9-1-1 from local and state government, national associations, and the industry.
The 9-1-1 Resource Center serves the 9-1-1 community through three key initiatives: an information clearinghouse, a technical and operational assistance center for state and local 9-1-1 authorities, and a national 9-1-1 profile database for compiling information that can be used to measure and report on the progress of 9-1-1. The 911 Resource Center, produced in partnership with 911.gov, is operated by L.R. Kimball, a CDI Company under cooperative agreement DTNH22-08-H-00224 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and supported by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).