WASHINGTON — The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today reemphasized the lessons learned following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as the 2006 hurricane season begins.

In September 2005, APCO International testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on Hurricane Katrina response, specifically the communications issues highlighted by the storm. In his testimony, APCO International Acting President-Elect Willis Carter offered recommendations to improve emergency communications. These suggestions included:

• Making significant improvements in local, regional, and national interoperability;
• Planning and training for disasters;
• Establishing common incident command structures at all levels of the emergency response effort;
• Ensuring public safety communications networks are built and maintained to withstand worse-case scenarios, and;
• Mirroring telephone central offices supporting 9-1-1 tandems in locations sufficiently remote to allow for quick restoration of 9-1-1 services.

As the public safety communications community prepares for this hurricane season, APCO International recommends that communications centers be prepared for inoperable systems, loss of power, and security, personnel and supply needs.  In addition, communications centers should focus on planning and training to include training on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) and planning for system restoration, multi-agency response and evacuation.

APCO International also urges the public to make all necessary preparations for the hurricane season including creating family evacuation plans and compiling emergency supply kits.  APCO International further reminds the public to call 9-1-1 for life threatening emergencies only — not for structural damage or power outages.

"APCO International is encouraged by the lessons learned and the steps that have been taken to ensure the public safety communications community is better prepared for this hurricane season," APCO International President Wanda McCarley said.  "APCO International will continue to work with communications centers across the country to ensure the highest level of protection for our citizens."

APCO International recently partnered with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) on the Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT), which is an effort to create a national mutual aid plan for communications centers affected by natural or manmade disasters.

About APCO International
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications.  APCO International serves the professional needs of its 15,000 members worldwide by creating a platform for setting professional standards, addressing professional issues and providing education, products and services for people who manage, operate, maintain and supply the communications systems used by police, fire and emergency medical dispatch agencies throughout the world.  For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.