The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the First Responder Network Authority (First Net) to foster and promote useful and effective mobile apps for public safety and emergency response purposes.
FirstNet is an independent authority within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunication Information Administration (NTIA) to provide emergency responders with the first high speed nationwide network dedicated to public safety.
Through the collaboration, the parties are going to help each other identify recommended vetted public safety or emergency response-related apps and then share feedback on whether the mobile apps are making a difference for public safety or whether improvements are needed.
The collaborators will work on ways to encourage the public safety community, the general public, and the technology sector to visit www.AppComm.org, to participate in focus groups, and respond to information requests from First Net.
APCO recently published the document “Key Attributes of Effective Apps for Public Safety and Emergency Response”. According to the document, apps must be easy to install and operate, must provide reliable communications with other devices, must connect to a network, and must make efficient use of data.
In providing support for the user, the document points out that apps must ensure automatic updates, must have the ability to contact the developer or third party for technical support, and must have a mechanism in place for the developer to be able to communicate with the user.
At the same time, apps must also interface with Public Safety Communications Centers (PSAP). The apps must fully disclose where any related software resides and fully disclose the initial and recurring costs to the PSAP and end users.