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The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is the only organization dedicated solely to the study, advancement and implementation of 9-1-1 as Americas universal emergency number. NENA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1982 to integrate 9-1-1 one nation, one number into our community culture. Today NENA has approximately 7,000 members organized into 46 chapters across the U.S. and Canada. NENAs long-time mission has been to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of the universal emergency telephone number system. NENA promotes research, planning, training and education, as well as the protection of human life, the preservation of property and the maintenance of general community security. To best accomplish our mission and to support our continued efforts in all of these important areas, we promote programs that actively seek to grow our membership and partner on 9-1-1 related issues with other like-minded organizations throughout the world. One of the primary goals of NENAs NG E9-1-1 Program is to further active participation to become directly involved in helping NENA set the course for future work in this vital area of public safety and community health and security. Program details follow.
Program Vision Statement To develop, coordinate, and integrate the foundation for an evolved, fully-functional, Next Generation E9-1-1 system that responds anytime, anywhere, from any device, in order to realize the full potential for 9-1-1 to provide public access to emergency services, enable interoperability between systems, protect human life, preserve property, and maintain general community security.
Program Mission Statement In connection with the traditional core competencies of ongoing NENA programs, activities, and committee work in technical development, policy leadership, and operational/educational review, to establish a voluntary, open, unified approach to enable Next Generation E9-1-1 systems and services.
Program Objectives The NG E9-1-1 Program is NENA-initiated and NENA-coordinated. Its primary objective is Next Generation E9-1-1. We believe in order to best accomplish our mission that consensus building around a shared vision is the wisest approach with the greatest possibility for long-term success. Your involvement allows you to participate in, influence, and help execute the top priorities for 9-1-1 in 2005 and beyond. By engaging as a Program Partner you will be better able to make decisions about your own companys investments and how to allocate limited resources and work with other organizations in ways that will provide the greatest return. NENA intends with this program to pursue the following primary objectives: – establish an open and unified voice of collective reason to enable positive change – review and build upon NENAs current definition of an E9-1-1 system and service, and make recommendations on new development considerations – work to ensure accessibility, compatibility, and interoperability among systems – create agendas, set priorities and budgets, establish time-frames, and verify milestones – identify, pursue, and encourage necessary funding and cost-recovery processes – incorporate international collaboration and industry partnership efforts whenever possible – collaborate with and involve NENA committee members, elected leadership, and staff – collaborate with and involve appropriate industry standards organizations (e.g., ATIS, ESIF, IETF, ASTM, NFPA, IEEE, ETSI, etc.)
Program Structure The NG E9-1-1 Program is governed by a high-level Management Team that meets 2-3 times a year to review and plan overall Program activities and strategies. The Management Team is comprised of top NENA elected leadership, staff directors, lead committee chairs, and one key representative from each sponsoring Program Partner involved in at least one of three topical Roundtables: (1) Technical Roundtable (2) Policy Roundtable (3) Operational/Educational Roundtable Each Roundtable meets in person 3-4 times a year, usually in connection with regularly scheduled NENA meetings or activities. These meetings are supplemented with ad hoc conference calls scheduled throughout the year, as well as a Program-specific webpage and other internet-based communication tools for sharing information. The Management Team meets 2-3 times a year to review and plan overall Program activities and strategy. Management Team meetings are held every fall and again each June in connection with NENAs Annual Trade Show and Conference. The NG E9-1-1 2004-2005 Program began with the first Management Team meeting in January 2005 and a second meeting is scheduled for October 5, 2005 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Roundtable Goals NENA has a long history representing public safety on 9-1-1 issues from both the public-sector/government perspective and the private-sector/commercial perspective. The work of the NG E9-1-1 Program Roundtables is to enhance, not replace, the work of other NENA programs, activities, and committees. For instance, several NENA committees drive definitions and identify areas where there is a need for formal standards. They then refer and help manage the latter through appropriate industry standards bodies. The Roundtables form the foundation for additional dialogue and for planning specific work. They are intended to help identify appropriate supplementary activities and to push for appropriate resources within both the public- and private-sectors. As the NG E9-1-1 Program continues to progress and evolve each subsequent year, new identified projects will allow for further funding to allow NENA to facilitate, improve and refine work, support necessary volunteer and staff expenses, and enable targeted implementation trials, tests and research. The initial scope and basic deliverables for each Roundtable are as follows:
Management Team – create agendas, set priorities and budgets, establish time-frames, and verify milestones – recommend continued Program financial plans to NENA – assist in planning and scheduling meetings and activities – resolve structural or operational issues as needed – provide information on 9-1-1 affecting developments in related industries – present on progress and recommendations at the NENA Annual Conference – meet at the end of the year to review priorities and set the program for the next year – provide guidance for the final report each year from Roundtable input
Technical Roundtable – track Program-related industry development status and direction – provide feedback into industry technical development processes – plan demonstrations and trials of technology for NG E9-1-1 – coordinate with NENAs Technical Committees – provide support for technical standards submissions – coordinate with relevant technology, telecommunications, and other public safety entities – coordinate with Policy and Operations/Education Roundtables
Policy Roundtable – establish an ongoing Program-related funding methodology and review – match future Program funding sources to the appropriate resource – establish public policy recommendations – analyze and assess federal/state relationships and state rights issues – plan and conduct meetings with opinion leaders at federal, state, and local levels – coordinate future 9-1-1 funding work with the appropriate, ongoing, NENA work – coordinate with Technical and Operations/Education Roundtables
Operations/Education Roundtable – provides readouts of industry and NENA development status and direction – coordinates with other public safety entities (APCO, NASNA, NAED) – coordinate with NENAs public education committee on public safety, consumer, and industry education needs – coordinate with the NENA Institute on ENP certification issues – coordinate with NENAs Educational Advisory Board (EAB) – coordinate with NENAs Operations Committees – provide support for operations committee recommendations – coordinate with relevant operations, education, training, and other public safety entities – coordinate with Technical and Policy Roundtables
The Roundtables will organize their activities with input from the Management Team and take advantage of traditional NENA events and activities during which to conduct face-to-face meetings, supported by ad hoc conference calls, email, and other communication. The Roundtables began their 2005 agendas with a review and discussion of NENAs Future Path Plan (circa early 2002), current development results, and how it immediately relates to the goals of their respective Roundtable. The Policy Roundtable held their first meeting in connection with NENAs February 9-1-1 Goes To Washington Critical Issues Forum. The Technical and Operations/Education Roundtables held their first meeting in connection with NENAs March TDC/ODC Conference in San Jose, California. All three Roundtables again met at NENAs Annual Conference in Long Beach, which provided a natural meeting place for all Roundtables and included formal reports on industry progress and the activities of each Roundtable. For example, during the Annual Conference the Technical Roundtable discussed the need to plan targeted trials or demos of NG E9-1-1 recommended technologies, while the Policy Roundtable focused on Federal/State/Local jurisdiction issues and roles of responsibility. The Operations/Education Roundtable developed a vision of the PSAP of the future and ways to address public and consumer education issues and how to reach special needs groups within the disability community. As the year progresses the Roundtables continue to communicate and will each hold their third Roundtable in October. The Technical Roundtable will focus on a standards review and discussion, the Policy Roundtable will examine funding solutions and VoIP public policy, and the Operations/Education Roundtable will develop recommendations for next generation training and certification programs. Throughout the year communications on plans, status, and results of the NG E9-1-1 Program will be generated and managed by NENA staff and provided to NENA membership, interested parties such as the 9-1-1 Caucus, Congress, the FCC, and other state and federal as well as international groups. Periodic press releases and other public communications are intended. Current and new E9-1-1 processes will operate in parallel and in transition, as technology improves and changes over time. Emergency calls/messaging are expected to originate from the current Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through present E9-1-1 infrastructure, through the public Internet, and eventually through non-Internet direct IP interfaces from exchange carriers and wireless poviders. NG E9-1-1 is expected to enable universal interface and support for such services as Telematics and Satellite emergency communications, without requiring direct point to point connectivity.
Program Sponsorship (after July 1, 2005) For agencies, organizations or corporations with less than $5 Million (U.S.) in annual revenue or operating budget the NG E9-1-1 Program Partner cost for the remainder of 2005 is $2,500 per Roundtable ($7,500 for all three). For those with annual revenue or budget equal to or more than $5 Million (U.S.) the cost is $5,000 per Roundtable ($15,000 for all three). This represents a significant discount from the annual cost of participation in the NG E9-1-1 Program. These expenditures and additional sponsorship investments from Program Partners throughout the year are earmarked purposely as seed money to enable NENA to effectively coordinate the Program and establish a foundation for additional, targeted, fund-raising efforts that will be necessary in order to achieve its Vision and Mission. Program-related expenses, including any necessary travel costs, are the individual responsibility of the participants.
Rights and Responsibilities Each paying Program Partner has the exclusive right to participate in program activities and to use the NENA NG E9-1-1 Program Partner logo on their website, business cards, exhibit booths, displays, brochures or other marketing collateral, etc. during each program year. The depth, scope, frequency, and expectations of the Roundtable activities will be established, recorded, and monitored each year by the Management Team. All relevant materials will be shared online and through exclusive communication means between all program participants. Through their involvement, all those who participate are making a pledge to work together and support the shared Vision and Mission of the NG E9-1-1 Program. An involved spirit of cooperation is vital for the success of the Program. NENA reserves the right to remove any individual, corporation, or other organization found not to be supporting the Vision and Mission of the Program, or to be otherwise blatantly disruptive to the process or activities. Join NENA and NG E9-1-1: Add Your Voice to The Voice of 9-1-1 NENAs leadership team represents the diverse NENA membership, and collectively, the 9-1-1 industry. NENA is an organization dedicated to saving lives through the improvement of 9-1-1 services in North America, and beyond. We bring value to our industry, value to our members, and value to our organization. Your involvement as an NG E9-1-1 Program Partner allows you to participate in, influence, and help execute the top priorities for 9-1-1 by working through our collective 9-1-1 associationNENA. Issued August 25, 2005
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