Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators' Week

This week in the City, we are celebrating “National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week; April 10-16, 2011. “ Telecommunicator is the fancy word used to describe, in our case, a police department communications unit officer or dispatcher.  Shawnee Mayor Meyers issued a proclamation at last night’s City Council meeting commemorating the celebration stating, “The professional Public Safety Telecommunicators are a pivotal link between the public and the police officer who may apprehend a criminal, protect their worldly possessions, and save their lives or the life of a love one.”

Probably the best words to describe how important our communications officers are to the Nation’s emergency services were stated by Bill Carrow, president of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials – International, “This week each year is a small way all Americans can share their gratitude for the telecommunicators who are just a phone call away in times of personal or national crisis. They are the true first of the first responders.”

For more information on National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week, please follow this link.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/APCO/International/prweb8283783.htm

What the heck is a UASI?

Now I know why everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I would say I was going to try to blog daily.  Work and life quickly got in the way of my best intentions to produce daily content, but tonight I thought I would throw up a quick post that relates to why I have been so busy at work lately. 

The Shawnee Police Department and I have been involved in regional homeland security projects since right after the tragedy on September 11, 2001.  The Federal government provides grant funds to develop regional capabilities to protect, prevent, respond, and recover from terrorism and other hazardous incidents.  When the Federal government is involved, acronyms for agency and program titles are common place.  Here are a few examples to illustrate my point: FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), DHS (Department of Homeland Security), and because April 18 (this year's tax filing deadline) is quickly approaching, your favorite and mine...the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). 

Tonight I would like to introduce you to the acronym of a federal program I have been working on lately.  That acronym is UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative).  The Kansas City area has been involved with the UASI program since 2003.  MARC (Mid America Regional Council) administers the program for the Kansas City area.  I serve as the co-chair for the Law Enforcement Subcommittee to MARC’s Regional Homeland Security Coordinating Council.  The council and subcommittees have kept me busy the last two weeks with planning for the 2011 grant program cycle and wrapping up past funding cycles.

For more information on the Kansas City area emergency management and homeland security programs, follow this link to MARC’s Emergency Services webpage.

http://www.marc.org/emergency/rhscc.htm