Fall Conference Schedule Posted!

The conference schedule for the fall conference has been posted!  To see the exciting lineup visit the conference page on ksapco.org. You asked for more classes for the front line dispatcher? Check! New classes that haven't been done at previous conferences? Check! More training that has to do with "day to day" activities? Check! We're hoping you will find this conference to be exactly what you are looking for!

Candidates for 2nd Vice President - Elections to be Held at Fall Conference

One of the important things about attending the fall conference is that we do elections during that time. We have two great, qualified candidates for 2nd Vice President that we would like you to meet. Voting will be completed in person at the APCO conference.

Laura Meyers 

Laura Meyers began her public safety career with Sedgwick County Emergency Communications in 2009 as a Dispatcher. She served on the communications center floor as a cross-trained Dispatcher and Communications Training Officer until making the move to the Support Services division as a Quality Assurance/Training Specialist. From there, she promoted into an administrative role, and continues to serve in that capacity as the Major over the Support Services division. Laura oversees the QA and Training sectors, as well as handling public education and community outreach. She also serves as the Records Clerk for the department, processing Kansas Open Records Act requests and testifies for Emergency Communications when requested for court proceedings. Laura’s favorite part of her job is interacting with the community, especially presenting information to elementary school students on how to properly use the 9-1-1 service. Laura holds a baccalaureate degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and is a classically trained Pastry Chef, having attended the French Pastry School in Chicago, Illinois. She resides in northwest Wichita with her husband Daniel and three small children, Anderson, Abraham, and Clark.

Laura is excited to submit her intent to serve as the 2nd Vice President and hopes to network with public safety professionals, expand leadership skills, and gain specialized experience by serving in this role.

Mary Eitel

I was born and raised on the east coast in the small town of La Plata just south of Washington, D.C. 
I worked part time answering phones at a local car dealership all throughout high school and began working full time there after graduating in 1987. I progressed from a telephone operator to a warranty claims administrator and finally ended up in the Finance Department.
I met my husband in 1992, we married and moved to western Kansas in 1995 to join the family farm operation. I worked at the Pharmacy in Dighton for 8 years and enjoyed morning coffee daily with Sheriff Don Wilson. Sheriff Wilson offered me a job as the dispatch supervisor in 2003 and I jumped on the chance to pursue what had always been a dream.
Since joining the Sheriff’s Office in 2003 I have seen many changes and been a part of the transition from basic 911 to enhanced 911 and now rising to the challenges we face as we move on to Next Gen 911.
I have been a member of APCO for 13 years and feel like it is time for me to give back to the organization for all of the wonderful training that has been provided. Kansas APCO has always been very important to me and coming to conference twice a year feels like coming home. I get to visit with old friends, make new friends and share stories about the hardships and the stories of how we help people every day.
I currently reside on the farm just north of Dighton with my husband Mark.

Feedback Requested from Attendees of the Spring Conference in Topeka

Visit Topeka has contracted with an independent market research firm, Young Strategies, Inc., to conduct visitor research regarding Topeka, KS as a travel destination for leisure, business, meetings and events.  If you attended a meeting or event in Topeka, KS in the past two years, we would appreciate your help by taking a few moments to respond to the Topeka, KS Visitor Survey.

Your answers will be helpful to Visit Topeka as we develop a new strategic plan and work to improve the visitor experience while in Topeka, KS.  Upon completion of the survey you will be eligible to register for a chance to win (1 of 2) $250 VISA gift cards.

Here is a link to the survey:
https://www.research.net/r/KansasPublicInfoOfficers

This link is uniquely tied to the visitor survey and your meeting group; please do not forward.  Visit Topeka thanks you in advance for your time and valuable input.  

Kansas APCO : Visionary Leaders Wanted - Chapter Elections

Put your visionary skills to use the Kansas Chapter of APCO is looking for a few good women and men to join the cause, if you’re an advocate of providing professional networking, development, technical assistance, advocacy, and empowering your fellow Public Safety Telecommunicators then you should serve as a Kansas Chapter of APCO Board Member. The following positions are up for election during the Fall Chapter Conference in Wichita, KS Oct. 17 – 19^th
            2^nd Vice President
            Treasurer
Service as a member of the Board is an honor that carries with it awesome responsibilities. Before a member commits to being a candidate, that responsibility must be clearly understood and appreciated, not only by candidate, but by his or her employer.
 A candidate's employer must have a keen awareness of the value of the Chapter's mission, the honor of APCO service, and the strong support the candidate must have to effectively serve as an APCO Officer.
This support is manifested in many ways which include, but are not limited to, the need for the employee to be able to be away from his/her employment for APCO Business Meetings. Attendance at the annual conference, Board of Officers Meetings, on-site reviews, and other functions is imperative.  Don’t let the requirements scare you or your employer because a majority of Chapter Business is conducted via conference call.
The duties and responsibilities of each position is detailed in the Chapter Bylaws (found on the Kansas APCO website) 
If you are interested in serving, download the Declaration of Candidacy (found on the Kansas APCO website) and submit it to the KSAPCO Board Past President Lance Royer.
                                               Lance Royer, Captain
                                               Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office
                                               320 S Kansas Ave Suite 200
                                               Topeka, KS 66603-3641
                                               Email:  Lance.Royer@snco.us
------------------------------
Joshua Michaelis
Director
Rice County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications
Lyons, KS
jmichaelis@rcsoks.org
620-257-2363
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Kansas APCO Fall Conference Pre-Session Course

Building a Training Program

Monday, October 17^th, 1pm-5pm

Holiday Inn East (I-35), Pecan Room

As we all know, training the right people for the job is critical, and providing the right training for those people is of utmost importance. It’s been proven that retention rates rise with improved and increased amounts of quality training, and “more training” is one of the most requested tools sought after by those in our industry. The new standards across the state will require a more comprehensive approach to preparing 911 call takers and dispatchers for the job they do. Agencies looking for some guidance in how to fulfill that new requirement will find this course helpful, as well as agencies that are looking to overhaul their current program to provide more in-depth and thorough training from start to finish.

This workshop will teach you about planning and scheduling your training, how to incorporate various training methods into your program which will appeal to each of the different learning styles, and how to reinforce the learning. We’ll discuss various exercises, such as lecture, proper review, using audio, hands-on practical exercises, and the use of outside speakers. You will learn how to properly build a quiz and/or a test to ensure the critical training material is covered and understood. You’ll learn about the importance of documentation throughout the classroom training phase. In addition, we’ll discuss the training taken beyond the classroom and into the OJT phase. You will learn how to build a strong CTO team, which will include the process for choosing CTOs, training them, and holding them accountable to ongoing standards. We’ll also discuss ways to further invest in your training team through additional learning opportunities to assist them not only with their training sessions, but also to prepare them for future leadership roles.

This class is FREE to paid conference registrants.  Seating for this class is limited and will fill up fast.  To register for this pre-session course you must first register for the conference and then email or call Kristin Gill with Sedgwick County Emergency Communications, Kristin.Gill@sedgwick.gov or 316-660-4977.  You won’t want to miss this!