ORLANDO, Fla. – Thousands of people from across the country attended the 2024 National Emergency Number Association Conference at Gaylord Palms in Orlando over the past weekend.
This yearly exposition, also referred to as NENA, runs June 28 through July 2. The programming served as an opportunity for first responders and those in other relevant professions to see the latest strategies and technologies that have developed in the field recently.
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The conference consisted of breakout training sessions, career-building workshops, keynote speakers, networking events and more.
“It gives us training opportunities to bring back to our staff and respective members. It also gives us time to network with other 911 professionals,” said Jody Kenyon, president of the Florida 911 Association.
Kenyon said this event is an important resource because of recent challenges in the profession, such as shortage in staffing and lack of resources. Part of the greatest difficult lies in making calls and gathering the information necessary for law enforcement officers to effectively protect and serve their community.
“Centers are seeing probably a 20% shortage in staffing. It’s a constant challenge. A little less than 50% that go through training make it all the way through,” Kenyon said.
Part of the solution to this overarching obstacle in the first responder industry is a new Emergency Response Software called “Next Generation 911,” according to NENA President Charles Cullen.
“Next Generation 911″ is an internet-based technology that allows dispatchers to sort through non-emergency calls, locate callers more efficiently and give quicker response.
“They’ll still have to make those critical life or death decisions, but they won’t have to go through four or five applications to figure out where somebody is,” Cullen said.
Kenyon said the State Legislature awarded them $20 million to help implement this new technology throughout the state.
“Most communities have a [Next Generation] 911 system. We’re looking at 3-5 years and we’ll have all the counties here in the state,” said Kenyon.
Cullen said they’re working with federal lawmakers to hopefully pass a $13.2 billion proposal to fund this improvement project in all states to help first responders around the country.
“People should expect to get the same level of service from 911 wherever they are in the country,” Cullen said. “This would provide that. There’s been bills over the past three years to provide that funding. We’re hoping that this year will get across the finish line.”
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