U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson toured the Moore County Department of Public Safety and met with emergency telecommunicators on Wednesday. Following the tour, Hudson received the Leadership in Legislative Service Award from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International.
“I am proud to lead bipartisan efforts in Congress to provide our nation’s state and local governments with the tools to update our emergency response networks and improve services to communities,” said Hudson, who represents Moore County. “It is a privilege to be the voice in Congress supporting our region’s dedicated telecommunicators, medical professionals, and law enforcement. I look forward to passing the bipartisan Next Generation 9-1-1 Act through the House again and will continue to advocate for it until it is signed into law.”
Hudson was presented with the 2022 Leadership in Legislative Service Award by Jeff Cohen, Chief Counsel of APCO International. Each year, APCO International recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the field of public safety communications and those who serve in the industry.
“APCO was honored to present Congressman Hudson with the Leadership in Legislative Service Award on behalf of our 39,000 members and the broader community of public safety professionals who ensure that citizens get the help they need when they call 9-1-1,” said APCO Executive Director and CEO Derek K. Poarch. “Mr. Hudson has shown a clear commitment to advancing public safety communications and continues to be a strong champion in Congress.”
Hudson was joined by Moore County Commissioner Kurt Cook, Moore County Commissioner Jim Von Canon, Moore County Register of Deeds Bill Britton, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields, Moore County Public Safety 911 Communications Chief Bryan M. Lyczkowski, and APCO Chief Counsel Jeff Cohen.
Last month, Hudson and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (CA), co-chairs of the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, reintroduced the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act to accelerate federal efforts to modernize the nation’s aging 911 systems. The full bill text is available here.
The bipartisan Next Generation 9-1-1 Act, which passed the House last Congress, would authorize $15 billion in federal funding to help state and local governments deploy Next Generation 9-1-1 systems nationwide. The upgrades are urgently needed to help move the country’s legacy 911 call centers into the digital age, enabling them to handle text messages, pictures, videos, and other information sent by smartphones, tablets, and other devices in an emergency.
Courtesy photos/Contributed.
