2010-11 Executive Board Elections

 

Candidates for 2nd Vice President

Candidate for Southeastern Director

Candidate for Western Director

Each year, you as members are asked to vote for individuals that will work toward the betterment of NENA and promote 9-1-1. The issues that we face are real and not only affect the membership, but 9-1-1 services as a whole.

 

It is amazing to see what progress has been made through NENA’s involvement and commitment. The voice we have in Congress and the state legislatures is working to ensure access to 9-1-1 is universal and funded sufficiently. It is important that NENA continues to set the standard for the 9-1-1 community.

 

Improving member services should take a front seat in identifying and addressing the issues that plague our membership. Reduced budgets, limited funding resources and increased workloads are all issues which our members face daily. Finding ways to provide better programs and services that are cost effective should take precedence. Developing programs that address the needs of the membership is paramount.

 

By ensuring fiscal responsibility our association can be assured of a healthy and prosperous future. These are exciting times and as a longtime NENA member I’m proud of the association’s success.

 

I believe in the Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification program and what it offers to the membership. This program was established for the recognition and credentialing of individuals who have met the experience requirements and demonstrated mastery of the ENP body of knowledge. The success of the program is evident in the number of certified professionals within NENA. By retaining the high standards that have been set by the Executive Board, this program will continue to flourish. From 2000 to 2006, I served on the NENA Institute Board which provided me with a unique insight into the structure and operations of the program. I was also fortunate to be elected to President of the ENP Institute from 2003 through 2004.

 

For the past 3 ½ years, I have served on the NENA Executive Board as Western Regional Director. During my tenure on the Board, we have changed the Governance Model, strengthening our financial position and that of NENA at the national level. We have also made ourselves more responsive to the membership at large, understanding the complexities of reduced budgets. I am also proud of the accomplishments that we have made within the Western Region with the establishment of the new Pacific Chapter of NENA encompassing Hawaii, American Samoa and Guam and the revitalization effort of the Utah and Idaho. As a member of the Arizona Chapter of NENA since 1993, I was elected to the position of Chapter President in 1993 and 2001.

 

My experience in public safety communications spans more than 37 years as a communications operator, supervisor, manager, and most recently as the State of Arizona 9-1-1 Administrator^(?). For 16 years, as State 9-1-1 Administrator, I’ve been responsible for the funding oversight of 100 PSAPs, with a 25 million dollar annual budget. Under my leadership, the state has moved forward with the deployment of Enhanced 9-1-1 and Wireless Enhanced 9-1-1, overcoming the funding limitations of a $.20/month surcharge.

 

My vision for NENA is one of expansion and growth, coupled with providing more cost effective services to our members. With participation and input from the membership at large, we can strategically plan for our future. I hope that you will provide me with the opportunity to serve “you” by electing to 2 Vice President to the NENA Board of Directors.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me to serve. I realize how busy you are, but I hope that you will spend the next few minutes reading this, as I share some important information about me, the future of our industry and our organization.

As you know, we are living in exciting times. Our technology is rapidly changing. New opportunities to better serve the public seem to appear before us every day. As resources become available, we will be transitioning our PSAPs, networks and facilities into the Next Generation of 9-1-1.

The next few years will be challenging for you and NENA. We must continue our efforts at the state and national level to ensure that adequate funding is provided for our 9-1-1 System. We all must ensure that emergency help can be delivered anywhere in North America, at any time, with access to 9-1-1 from any device. To meet these challenges, we need effective leadership at the national level.

For this reason, I have decided to seek the office of NENA’s Second Vice President. By working with you and other members of your Executive Board, we will continue to move NENA in the right direction. We must continue to strengthen NENA’s financial basis by adding to our membership. We must continue to represent both the public and private sectors with a united voice. We must continue our joint initiatives with APCO and other public safety partners. In unity there is strength.

I am currently the E-911 Communications Director and the E-911 Coordinator for Martin County. I served as the Florida NENA Chapter President in 2008/2009.

Martin County, Florida is located on the east coast of Florida just 45 miles north of West Palm Beach and just south of Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Agency has approximately 558 Sworn and Non-Sworn Personnel. The County covers about 556 square miles and in 2009 handled more than 219,024 law enforcement calls for service.

On June 13th, 2004 while attending the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Conference in Tampa, Florida, I successfully passed the Emergency Number Professional (ENP) examination.

I was a member of the Albany Police Department for more than twenty-three years as a Detective with the Department’s Administrative Services Bureau and the Computer System Administrator. I was the President of the Users of Public Safety Software Systems from 1992-1994, an organization which represents approximately thirty Police, Fire, Medical, Correction and Court agencies throughout the United States.

I am an instructor, lecturer and consultant, who has been in the field of law enforcement, education and training for more than thirty-nine (39) years. During that time, I have been responsible for the design and development of a number of educational and training programs for police and security officers in both the public and private sectors. I also lectured at Mexico’s first Annual 066 (911) Conference in July, 2000 in Queretaro, Mexico.

I hold an Associate Degree in Applied Science (Criminal Justice) and thirty (30) credits short of completing my Bachelor’s Degree. I was certified as a Police Instructor by the New York State Bureau for Municipal Police Training Council and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a certified instructor with the Association of Public Safety Officials (APCO).

 

1. Established one of the first ENP Study Groups, which was open to both our members in Florida and elsewhere to assist them in preparing for the ENP exam.
2. Appointed to work on the revision of the National By-Laws.
3. Appointed to work on the revision of the Florida By-Laws.
4. Member of the Operations Committee on Standard Operating Procedures.
5. Served as Volunteer Chairperson for the National Conferences in 2001, 2005 and 2008.
6. Served as a Volunteer at the National Conferences in Indianapolis, Long Beach, Charlotte, Fort Worth, and Pittsburgh.
7. Received the Florida NENA First Annual Jim Martin Ward. This award was created to recognize the outstanding contribution to Florida NENA by one of its members.

---

Louie “Chip” Yarborough II, ENP

Louie Chip Yarborough II, ENP is the Director/CEO of the Heartland Communications Facility Authority in San Diego County. Mr. Yarborough became the Director of the JPA in August 2008. Prior to coming to Heartland, Mr. Yarborough was the Support Services Manager for the City of Mountain View Police Department where he managed the Support Services Division, which included Communications, Records, Property & Evidence, Fleet, Management and Fiscal Services, and Animal Control.

 

Mr. Yarborough has been involved in Public Safety Dispatching for 29 years. He has worked as a Dispatcher, Dispatch Training Officer, Dispatch Supervisor, Training Manager, and Manager/Director. He has worked for small, medium and large 9-1-1 Centers throughout California.

 

Mr. Yarborough was appointed to serve on the State of California Governors 9-1-1 Advisory Board by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a past President of CALNENA, and has served on many national committees dealing with 9-1-1. He is a certified Expert on 9-1-1 issues by the State of California Superior Court.

 

Mr. Yarborough has a Bachelor Degree from Saint Mary’s College of California in Management, and a Master of Arts Degree from Saint Mary College in Leadership. He is currently in his second year of his PhD in Clinical Psychology. He lives in San Diego, and in his spare time he enjoys playing softball, and spending time at his Palm Springs home on the weekends.