The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International released for comments a candidate American National Standard (ANS) that outlines the core competencies that define the basic functions, duties, responsibilities, knowledge, abilities and expertise attributable to individuals who manage public-safety communications.

“Candidate APCO ANS 1.106.1-200x: Core Competencies for Public Safety Communications Manager/Director,” aims to guide public-safety communications managers, directors and agencies, as well as prepare the next generation of managers and directors currently working at various levels within public-safety communications centers. Areas of core competencies identified include managing self and personal skills, providing direction, facilitating change, working with people, using resources and achieving results.

The public review and comment period ends June 22.

Jeffrey Carlisle has been appointed vice president of regulatory affairs for SkyTerra. He has more than 15 years of experience in the legal and policy aspects of communications and technology. He most recently served as the vice president for international public policy and government affairs for Lenovo, the global technology products and services company. Carlisle previously served at the FCC as senior deputy chief and later chief of the wireline competition bureau. While at the FCC, he was co-director of the Internet Policy Working Group and a member of the Homeland Security Policy Council.

Fortress Technologies has expanded its certified training program to better enable organizations to establish and manage secure wireless networks. The training program has been expanded to offer a total of four courses that includes in-depth lectures, as well as hands-on lab work. Courses require a general understanding of network technologies/topologies, the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model, network device functionality, and security concepts, as well as an intermediate knowledge of Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) and RF fundamentals.

TrafficLand Inc. is providing public-safety agencies with XML feeds containing live streaming video and geospatial metadata from its national traffic camera network for integration into crisis information-management systems. The company has access to almost 6000 live traffic cameras nationwide. The real-time video data layer from the camera network can be integrated into most GIS or mobile applications.

BIO-key International Inc., a manufacturer of finger-based biometric identification and wireless public-safety solutions, has formed a strategic partnership with Nlets, an interstate justice and public-safety data communications network. Under this new partnership, BIO-key will install a BIO-key owned and managed server at the Nlets network operations center in Phoenix. BIO-key then will be able to use available Nlets network bandwidth to provide wireless communication systems and support.

American Messaging Services LLC, the second-largest wireless-messaging company in the United States, has acquired Raven Systems LLC, which provides service to military and government agencies and the nuclear-power industry. The Raven suite of products includes the Raven Alert, the Raven 500, and a series of firehouse automation and remote-control products.