TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Dec. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DATAMARK today announced that the Florida Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association ( NENA) selected DATAMARK to provide statewide educational workshops for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) geographic information systems (GIS) readiness. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, two workshops will be held in each of the four Florida NENA regions in the state: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, and West Florida.

The workshops are fully funded by the E911 Board, so there is not cost for attendees. DATAMARK’s “Beyond the 98%™” is the introductory workshop and “Don’t Run with Scissors,” which takes a deeper dive into NG9-1-1 requirements, will be the intermediate workshop.

DATAMARK workshops were well received in California, Arizona, and Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, New Jersey and Oklahoma. Course content in the Florida series includes:

• Beyond the 98%™ – Introduces standards, best practices and introductory workflows required to ensure NG9-1-1 data readiness to get your data beyond the 98% required by NENA. While portions of the NG9-1-1 environment has yet to be developed, GIS has already been identified as a mission-critical component. In an NG9-1-1 environment, GIS will be used in a much different manner than it currently is used for 9-1-1. Unlike current use in post-call processes, GIS will take on a critical role in pre-call delivery through NG9-1-1 call routing.
  
  
• Don’t Run with Scissors – Builds on the knowledge gained during the Beyond the 98™ workshop to further understand and demonstrate the core functions and implications of GIS in NG9-1-1. Attendees will discuss the processes, functions and workflows of NG9-1-1 systems, an intermediate understanding of GIS, Next Generation Core Services affected by GIS, GIS data assurance and completeness for data stewardship to meet the minimum standards of applicable standards and best practices.

Both workshops are recommended for state and local 9-1-1 program managers, GIS managers, public safety technologists, elected officials and local addressing authority decision-makers who assign addresses, maintain GIS data for 9-1-1 and maintain MSAG or ALI for PSAPs.

“DATAMARK takes a different approach than many public safety technology consultants,” said Robert Murphy, ENP, RPL, Public Safety Subject Matter Expert at DATAMARK, Michael Baker International. “Our goal for clients is to help them solve problems using a sustainable approach by combining education, advocacy and problem solving. We look forward to taking this approach on the road across Florida to educate the state’s 9-1-1 and GIS leaders on the foundational concepts required for the transition to NG9-1-1.”

Several Florida counties, including Jackson County, Manatee County, Walton County, and Washington County, are already working with DATAMARK after selecting the DATAMARK VEP (Validate-Edit-Provision) solution and company services for GIS data readiness for NG9-1-1.

About DATAMARK
As trusted advisors in public safety, DATAMARK brings comprehensive, real-world expertise in police, fire, EMS and 9-1-1 leadership roles to Next Generation 9-1-1 transitions. The DATAMARK team leads the industry by shaping rules and legislation, and by building a suite of products and services that ensure accurate emergency response location data in life-critical situations. DATAMARK empowers its team and stakeholder partners to foster trusted relationships and cultivate data integrity for informed decision making. DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker International, has decades of proven experience in mission-critical government addressing projects. The team works with clients to solve their complex needs, from data quality checks and addressing to workflow analysis and more. Learn more about the company at www.datamarkgis.com and follow DATAMARK on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Michael Baker International
Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services, including design, planning, architectural, environmental, construction and program management. The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions to support U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker’s more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement to help solve challenges for clients and communities throughout the country. To learn more, visit  www.mbakerintl.com.

Media Contacts:
Michelle Allard McMahon, cell: 781-718-3248
Jenna Beaucage, cell: 508-340-6851
datamark@rainierco.com