Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International received final approval from ANSI on September 16, 2014 for an American National Standard (ANS) that identifies Best Practices for the Use of Social Media in Public Safety Communications.

APCO ANS 1.112.1-201x, Best Practices for the Use of Social Media in Public Safety Communications provides a foundation for agencies to develop specific operational procedures and guidance for the use of Social Media in  Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).

APCO President John Wright said, “It is important for PSAPs to recognize the need for customized procedures regarding social media that are specific to their local environment.”

PSAPs are covering new ground when dealing with social media usage by their employees and their department. Many have yet to grasp the full potential of this tool when it comes to public education and emergency alerting, and the potential for breaches of confidentiality caused by personal posts on the Internet. Because of the criticality of these issues, and current lack of available codified best practices, a standard addressing these concerns is needed.

For questions regarding APCO Standards, please email [email protected]

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APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals and supports the largest U.S. membership base of any public safety association. It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole.