NPSTW 2020 Contest Paused;
Support & Recognition Continue

In light of the gravity of the COVID-19 virus situation and the additional work and stress that will fall on our members and others in the public safety community, we are pausing our NPSTW contest. When we re-open it in the future, all stories already posted in the 2020 contest, as well as their “likes” will be maintained.

Since it is the U.S. Congress that declared the second full week in April to be National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, APCO International cannot change the date. We realize that most emergency communications centers may not be able or even allowed to celebrate in the normal fashion.

That said, we still want to support and honor you now and during NPSTW 2020 for what you do every day, week in and week out, to protect and render aid to your communities. Here are a few ways we hope to do so:

• We have created a COVID-19 discussion forum on PSConnect and encourage you to participate, to share the changes and challenges you are facing.
• APCO has created a web page with information on COVID-19 for emergency communications centers.
• We’re also asking you to submit a photo of how your agency is dealing with the crisis to the APCO Facebook page, to create a visual record of the lifesaving and essential work you are doing.
• We’re collecting ideas for recognizing public safety telecommunicators in this uncertain time.

(Note that we may share your photos or stories to our other websites or to a bigger audience as part of our NPSTW recognition.)

Thank you always to the public safety telecommunicators and all first responders who are on the front lines, still working and protecting our communities.