Washington, DC – In response to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today issuing a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) examining the role Deployable Aerial Communications Architecture (DACA) could play in facilitating emergency response, Gregg Riddle, president of APCO International, the world’s largest organization of public safety communications professionals, released the following statement:

“APCO International welcomes new FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai, and we are pleased that their first Commission meeting this morning led off with a public safety item regarding DACA. Today’s NOI is an important next step toward identifying whether and how DACA can be used to supplement first responder communications following major disasters, without creating interference to other emergency radio communications.”

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About APCO International™ (www.apcointl.org)

APCO International is the world’s largest organization of public safety communications professionals.  It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole – by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach.