APCO International

Editor’s note: For 75 years, APCO International has been a leader in public safety communications. In honor of this diamond anniversary, we asked some of APCO’s longest active members to answer the question, “After so many years of APCO membership, what is the greatest benefit you have gained from your APCO involvement that new and future members should know about and can look forward to?” Below is the response from long-time member Alan Hull. See our April issue and its special anniversary section for a brief history of APCO, what it has meant to members and the industry over the years and learn from current members what membership can do for you and your career.

I joined APCO in November 1964. Actually, my application was submitted to the local chapter (then called the Northwest Chapter) sometime in June 1964, but the mechanism of joining was more complex because of time spent submitting to interviews and, I suppose, a rudimentary form of background checks. I know letters from my employer (County Commission chairman) and a letter from the county sheriff were required to join, and that took time.

I joined at a time when National APCO was involved in a very hotly debated issue about the question of opening up the membership to other public safety officials. At that time, membership consisted only of public safety officials that were actually directly involved in communications policy decisions on behalf of their agencies. Of course, the rules changed then and again, and several times that opened membership up to the rank and file communicators, as well as engineers, technicians and supervisors. As the industry changes, the membership must keep changing to keep pace. Us old-timers must learn to relax more and to let go of our preconceived notions and accept the necessary changes.

The first major project in which I was involved was APCO Project 3. That project used slide-type pictures, presented as a moving picture film, of the fierce storms that came ashore and devastated Galveston, Texas. When combined with the sound of the storms and the background voices of emergency responders, the presentation had a profound effect on the Federal Communications Commission, moving the commissioners to grant additional radio channels for fire, police and public safety agencies in the UHF band.

The technology APCO used for that presentation would be considered archaic now, of course. But I believe it was the first effective use of APCO’s membership to convince an otherwise unconcerned federal agency of the plight of public safety. There have been many more projects that have had great impact on the direction of public safety communications.

I know of four ways individuals can effect change for the betterment of APCO: become an officer in the local chapter; become an officer of the international organization;vote;and lastly, volunteer to be involved in APCO projects that interest you.

The individualcanmake a difference.

Best regards,
Alan Hull
Washington APCO Chapter
APCO Member since Nov 7, 1964