Enhancing 911 Centers by Delivering Resiliency, Redundancy, and Diversity

Many public-safety officials believe their 911 centers are diverse, but that’s often because they don’t fully understand what diversity means and, more importantly, how to achieve it. Join us on July 23 for an insightful panel-discussion webinar entitled “Enhancing 911 Systems via Resiliency, Redundancy, and Diversity.” This event will feature two engaging sessions led by MCP industry experts and 911 center leaders who have implemented these elements.

The first session, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern, will feature MCP subject-matter experts who will explore the critical differences between resiliency, redundancy, and diversity, along with effective strategies for achieving these goals.

The second session, from 2:30 p.m.  to 3:30 p.m. Eastern, will highlight the experiences of 911 center officials who have navigated the challenges of achieving diversity. They also will share how diversity is enhancing their operations.

Attendee Takeaways

• Learn why resiliency, redundancy, and diversity are not synonyms
• Learn about the types of diversity: carrier, physical, and system/media
• Discover why intergovernmental agreements with other 911 authorities is one of the easiest ways to achieve diversity
• Hear from peers and other experts about real-world approaches to achieving diversity and the challenges that were overcome
• Discover tactics that can reduce the impact if a service-affecting outage does occur
• Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with professionals dedicated to advancing 911 systems.

Register for the webinar using the form provided below.

MCP Speaker: Dave Boyce, Vice President of Emerging Services Development

David W. Boyce is the Vice President of Emerging Services Development at Mission Critical Partners, where he leads technical solutions to address complex NG911, network, voice, and data challenges. With over 35 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Dave excels in developing integrated technology solutions for public safety communications. He has extensive expertise in designing and implementing statewide 911 ESInets, next-generation selective router solutions, and other critical emergency communication systems. Dave’s comprehensive knowledge of networking, routing, and customer premises equipment, coupled with his ability to navigate varying vendor approaches, allows him to effectively solve client challenges within their operational parameters. He has been recognized for his exceptional project management skills with awards such as the GTE “Presidential Leadership” award and the IJIS Institute “Thomas J. O’Reilly” Innovation Award.

MCP Speaker: Milton Schober, Technology Specialist

Milton W. Schober, Jr. is a Senior Technology Specialist at Mission Critical Partners, bringing over 46 years of expertise in data communications and networking. He has extensive experience in designing and installing local-area networks (LANs), wide-area networks (WANs), and critical IP-based networks and systems. Milton excels in implementing policies, procedures, and project planning methodologies. His federal experience includes developing technical requirements and system architecture for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National 911 Program and contributing to statewide ESInet designs for various states. He is also a Firefighter/EMT-B and has been involved in numerous state, regional, and city/county emergency communication projects. Milton holds a BBA in Finance and Accounting from Texas Tech University and is actively involved in the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).

MCP Speaker: Brian Melcer, Regional Director of Client Services

Brian brings 33 years of public safety communications experience, including staffing analysis, program review, budgeting and operational analysis, and local systems consolidation. Brian served 13 years as Director of the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Department of Public Safety, overseeing several transformational projects, including overhauling the critical 911 systems, a new facility, countywide radio and backhaul system, computer-aided dispatch, and call handling systems. He has experience developing operational policies and training, new hire recruitment and quality assurance programs. Brian served as Lawrence County’s delegate to the PA Region 13 County Terrorism Task Force, where he chaired the committees that regionally oversaw a 14 county ESInet and several shared public safety applications. Brian served as the President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of NENA in 2015 during a critical time culminating in Pennsylvania’s current 911 legislation. Brian remains active in the fire service as a Deputy Chief in his local community and is an active fire instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.

MCP Speaker: Philip Rizzo, Sr. Technology Specialist

Philip C. Rizzo is a Senior Technology Specialist at Mission Critical Partners, with 40 years of experience in the technical and operational aspects of the telecommunications industry. Phil excels in bringing together cross-functional teams to develop companywide processes and procedures and is recognized for his technological expertise and customer focus. He specializes in technical support for phone system cutovers, customer premises equipment (CPE) installation and maintenance, RFP development, PSAP consolidation, and NG911 equipment selection. His experience spans federal, regional, and city/county projects, including significant roles in various counties and regions across the United States. Phil holds an Associate Technical Degree from Verizon and is certified in Lucent Technologies Systimax Structured Connectivity and the FCC First Class Operator License. He is an active member of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).

Guest Speaker: Steve Bicehouse, Director of Emergency Services for Butler County, Pennsylvania

Steve Bicehouse has been the Director of Emergency Services for Butler County, Pennsylvania, since 2012. With a background as a Fire Chief, Registered Nurse, and EMS professional, Steve brings extensive experience in emergency management. His leadership has driven significant advancements in Butler County, including upgrades to Call Handling Equipment (CHE), Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), and a shared Radio system. His innovative and cooperative approach earned him the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence, continuously enhancing the county’s emergency services and community safety.

Guest Speaker: Nathan Kizer, Executive Director, Lubbock Emergency Communication District

Nathan Kizer has dedicated over 18 years to the Lubbock Emergency Communication District, where he currently serves as Executive Director. With a strong background as a Technical Operations Manager, Nathan has enhanced operational efficiency through database integrity, web application development, and GIS implementation. His leadership and innovative approach have significantly improved 9-1-1 call center support and emergency response systems. Nathan holds a BSOE in Religion with a minor in Mathematics from Wayland Baptist University and studied Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University.

MCP Speaker: Jason Franks, Cybersecurity Analyst