The California MLTS/PBX Legislation continues to trod forward at a slow, but steady pace. Recent activity adds more clarity around what will be required, as well as when. Fletch talks to APN Legal Correspondent Martha Buyer ([email protected]) and Consultant Byron Battles of the Battles Group (http://battlesgroup.com) about this recent turn of events.

Don't miss this informative episode with important information about MLTS compliance in the 'Golden State'.

Proactive governments engage in Social Media, most content originates from within the brick-and-mortar facilities. York Regional Police (@YRP) from Ontario, Canada has taken Social Media to new heights by equipping their sleek 200kph Eurocopter EC120B tactical airborne platform, known to you and I as a "police chopper", with Twitter that can be followed at #YRPNights. Announcing their activities and 'fly-bys' during the shift allows anyone with Internet access to be part of this virtual-fly-along that has included color pictures as well as FLIR Images from their thermal imaging camera system on board.

Sometimes size matters, and sometimes it doesn't. While at INTEROP 2013, I ran across a new computing platform called a 'modular computer'. This ingenious little powerhouse is the size of a grapefruit with the horsepower of a full size rack mounted 'pizza box'. I was able to sit down with David Politis, Xi3's Chief Marketing Officer to discuss this revolutionary platform that is as much at home at work, or in a police car or ambulance. With NENA i3 extending connectivity out to the field, snd originating endpoint, I think the 08-003 ALDR and ALCDR have found a place to live!

WCAX Channel 3 in Montpelier, Vermont ran a story this past week highlighting a problem with schools and the states 911 system. In a recent interview, Rep. Joan Lenes (D-Shelburne) stated that the House and Senate Committees just recently learned that many of the states schools telephone systems have recently been centralized according to their town or district. This has caused a problem for E911 calls from the schools. But there is a law in VT that addresses this, isn't there?

NG911 networks promise to provide new forms of multi-media to the PSAP call takers. But where does that information come from? The age of the App is undeniably here, but there have been few that have been blessed by Public Safety as they fail to take their side of the problem into consideration. Also, getting the data to the PSAP can be problematic as disparate system deployments could confuse instead of assist, or create a false sense that data is being provided when it is not. Is a new standard of application connectivity required to manage all if the BIG DATA that will now be available?

If it has to do with NG112 in the European Union, Hannes Tschofenig, probably has his name on it some where. In addition to his day job at Nokia Siemens Networks, Hannes is the Chair of the Next Generation 112 Technical Committee at the European Emergency Number Association delivering the next evolution of IP based call handling to the PSAPs and Control Rooms in the European Union.

In addition to providing a great history lesson of the roots of NG112, he mentions how Additional Data from Enterprise networks is becoming more an more popular as businesses FCE their environments creating emergency calling gaps that have never been there in the past.

Dr. Dieter Nuessler sat down with me today to discuss Firefighters in the EU while at the EENA European Union Emergency Services Workshop in Riga, Latvia. Dr. Nuessler is the President of the Federation of European Union Fire Officer Associations representing Fire and Medical in 22 European Member States. We discuss the value of training, and the impact of technology on the field of Emergency Services.

While enjoying the European Emergency Number Association EU Emergency Services Workshop 2013 in Riga, Latvia, I had the opportunity to sit down with John Chiaramonte, Lead Associate with Booz, Allen, Hamilton and member of the NG9-1-1 Institute Board of Directors about the job of the NG9-1-1 Institute, and his views on how Next Generation Emergency Services are progressing in the European Union, and some of the common challenges agency's are facing that are very similar to those found in the US. This episode is on my 'highly recommend' list as John is not only a knowledgeable speaker, but well articulated in how NG911 works, as well as understanding the operational hurdles we need to face here and abroad.

Live from the European Union Emergency Services Workshop in Riga, Latvia, Fletch spends some time with TCCA Chief Executive Phil Kidner. The TETRIS and Critical Communications Association is an industry association formed to create a focal point for manufacturers, consultants as well as end-users for the TETRIS radio technology. Phil talks about the impact on the industry as well as describes what narrow, wide and broad banding actually is, and how it will impact P{ublic Safety when the NG911 network is deployed.

Over the past several years a recurring theme on this podcast, and unfortunately in the news, is the practice of "swatting". Swatting is when a caller places a call to a 911 center with the intention of invoking a SWAT team response to their intended victims location. Many times this is done out of revenge, or a poor joke, but in either case it can be a costly and highly dangerous situation for both police response teams, as well as the intended SWAT victim.