APCO Global Congress Day 1

This week, APCO has gone truly international. The APCO Global Congress was held June 6-8 in Dubai, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With representation from Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Dubai, Jordan, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the United Kingdom and the U.S., the high-level program included presentations and discussions on public safety communications issues and technologies from around the globe.

“Our inaugural year will help lay the foundation for future events and the cultivation of international relationships,” said APCO International Executive Director George S. Rice Jr. in a press conference preceding the event. “We are excited to be in Dubai and look forward to an enlightening Congress!”

Major General Rashid Al Matrooshi, Director General, Dubai Civil Defence, served as the keynote speaker on Monday, June 6. His presentation focused on enhancing civil protection through technology on a 24/7 basis.

One distinguished guest, Col. Zied Zobi, Command Control Center Director & head of Command Control Project with the Public Safety Directorate in Amman, Jordan, said of the Congress, “This is an opportunity to share knowledge and technology — what works and what they did. It’s a transfer of knowledge.”

Attendees came from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S. and the U.K., among other places in the world.

Jack Varnado, deputy director of the St. Tammany Parish (La.) Communications District said, “OnStar conducted a wonderful presentation [Using Advanced Vehicle Technologies to Assist Emergency Responders in Saving Lives and Property] on how their service protects citizens and how they work with public safety agencies. Cathy McCormick played several videos and audios about real-life events and how lives were saved. This presentation really helped me understand how OnStar is an integral partner with public safety and the services they provide.”

Attendees took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers.

Other educational sessions included:

• Jordan Case Study in Developing a New Command Control Center
• Spectrum Allocations for the Public Safety and Disaster Communications
• Public Safety Communications Training Standards
• The Vancouver 2010 Winter and Paralympic Games — A Leadership Challenge — a Personal Perspective
• Mission-Critical Communications at Planned & Unplanned Events

The exhibit hall drew much attention. Some highlights:

Dubai Civil Defence and Dubai Ambulance had several vehicles on exhibit in the pre-function area and exhibit center lobby entrance.

The Dubai Civil Defense and Dubai Ambulance had several vehicles on exhibit.

The Dubai Civil Defense and Dubai Ambulance had several vehicles on exhibit.

Stealth Telecom is a value-added reseller of equipment with facilities in Dubai.  One of their most prominent items is a repackaging of a Motorola XTS-2500 portable radio into a covert, form-fitting body device that’s reminiscent of a shoulder holster or could possibly fit into a harness that attaches to the user’s legs.  Batteries can be changed conveniently in a manner similar to popping out a magazine from a weapon and inserting a new one.  The devices may include P25 digital operation, AES encryption, and a low-profile RF linked control head that resembles a car’s key fob.  The housings come in black or tan.  Stealth telecom also represents Denmark-based DAMM and Sepura TETRA equipment.

Interactions in the exhibit hall focused on global technologies.

Tom Riedl, DK9MT, was present in the Aeroflex exhibit.  Aeroflex, formerly IFR and Wavetek, manufactures radio frequency test equipment that’s useful in analyzing interference or antenna and feedline characteristics.  With a variety of fixed and portable solutions, troubleshooting noise or an antenna problem can be done quickly, possibly identifying an unusual problem or eliminating a costly climb.  In his spare time, Riedl is a German ham radio operator and is active in microwave and HF operation.

SAVE Corp. traveled to Dubai all the way from Edgewater, Fla.  CEO Tony Sanders provides telecommunicator training simulators that are capable of emulating a 9-1-1 or 1-1-2 (or any other emergency number) answering position, a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) terminal with automated vehicle location (AVL) and radio console.  The trainer is able to manipulate the trainee’s environment and simulate a number of situations, including sounds, such as sirens or barking dogs giving the telecommunicator trainee a true-to-life environment within which to learn.

Another U.S. company making the journey to Dubai was Colorado-based Sunny Communications.  Many radio system operators are confronted with the situation of what to do with legacy equipment once it’s replaced. Tony Sapuppo recycles fixed-end and subscriber equipment and will buy things like portable radios, base stations or repeaters, and other site equipment, and resell them.  These can make reliable backup systems that can help restore a site which has gone off the air, or provide reduced-cost additions to existing systems where a fill-in site may be necessary.  This presents the opportunity for used-but-good equipment to continue its useful life in a good home.

Lt. Col. Rashid Bin Massam said, “This is a well-organized event, and we are happy to support the event next year.”

Refreshments and meals were served.

APCO Global Congress received strong support from its corporate partners/sponsors — OnStar, Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola Solutions and Harris — and thanks them for helping make this first Congress a success.

Author’s note: Thanks to Loredana Elsberry Schwartz, Steve Makky and Jack Varnado for their on-scene reporting from Dubai. Check out the Twitter feed @apcoglobalcongress.