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"An Essential Event for Professionals Dedicated to Advancing Public Safety Communications"

The 2024 SBC Wireless Tech & Policy Summit is in the books - Check out all the pix!

Chief Perdue


Posted on July 17, 2024

The 2024 Safer Buildings Coalition In-Building Wireless Tech & Policy Summit took place at Washington, DC's National Housing Center last month. The Summit featured A-list speakers and discussions about school safety, workforce development, ERCES, and much more. And lots of great networking. It was, as one of the speakers — Mark Ryckman, City Manager & Director of Public Safety, City of Corning, New York — put it: "an essential event for professionals dedicated to advancing public safety communications"! Check out all the great pix below!

Keynote: Lori Alhadeff, Co-Founder - Make Our Schools Safe

The Wireless Tech & Policy Summit put the focus on school safety with a poignant keynote from Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS) Co-Founder Lori Alhadeff who tragically lost her 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in 2018. Following Lori Alhadeff's keynote, Jim Bugel, President of the FirstNet Program at AT&T, presented a $5000 donation from AT&T to MOSS.


Panel Discussion: School Safety and the Critical Role of Wireless Connectivity

Following Lori's keynote, Safer Buildings Coalition Past President Eric Toenjes led a panel discussion on school safety with a focus on state and federal legislation (such as Alyssa's Law, which requires panic buttons in classrooms) that offer help to schools to ensure that critical communications are always available inside school buildings during emergencies.

Speakers:


Fireside Chat: Jim Bugel, President, FirstNet and Public Safety, AT&T 

SBC Founder and Cathedral Consulting CEO Seth Buechley interviewed Jim Bugel, President, FirstNet and Public Safety, AT&T covering the present and future of FirstNet.


Panel Discussion: Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems (ERCES) Tech and Policy Urgently in Need of Improvement

ERCES plays a critical role in eliminating wireless "dead zones," which hamper public safety communication and put first responders and the public they serve at risk. Chief Perdue and panelists from industry and public safety zeroed in on the current state of these systems and explored urgently needed changes to ERCES technology and policy. 


Panel Discussion: A View from the Top: In-Building Wireless

Moderated by Urgent Communications Senior Editor Donny Jackson, a panel of executive thought leaders explored the current state and future outlook of the wireless sector, with special insights on In-Building Wireless Connectivity.

Speakers:


Panel Discussion: 9-1-1 Inside: A Call to Action

The FCC estimates that a one-minute improvement in 9-1-1 response time would save 10,000 lives in the US. Time is Life. This session zeroed in on SBC's new rallying cry: 9-1-1 Inside, which sets the expectation that calls and texts to emergency services initiated from inside buildings should always get through, with clarity and accurate location. 


Fireside Chat: FCC Commissiona Anna M. Gomez

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez joined SBC Managing Director John Foley on stage.


Panel Discussion: Building the Wireless Workforce

Ken Clark - Founder & CEO, Engineering Wireless Services hosted a discussion on the critical issue of building a competent workforce capable of fulfilling the objective of eliminating in-building wireless "Dead Zones." 

Speakers:


Expo Hall

More than 250 attendees took the opportunity to network and visit this year's exhibitors at the National Housing Center.


Signing off in Style - Hanging & Socializing at the Closing Reception

We wrapped up the '24 installment with a Closing Reception where the attendees, speakers, sponsors, et al kicked back, chatted, had a few drinks while digesting a full day's educational program.


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