Michelle Melancon

The NG9-1-1 Interoperability Oversight Commission (NIOC) today issued the following statement regarding the status of the Forest Guide, a key service supporting interoperability within Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) systems.

NIOC is the independent governing body responsible for providing oversight of services essential to interoperability and security in NG9-1-1. Among these services is the Forest Guide, as defined in the NENA i3 Standard . Through this role, NIOC reaffirms its commitment to ensuring secure, reliable, and standards-based implementation of critical NG9-1-1 interoperability services.

At present, the Forest Guide commissioned by NIOC is not available for deployment and cannot be used by Next Generation Core Services (NGCS) providers. No formal release date has been established. Updates regarding the availability of the Forest Guide will be posted on the official NIOC website as soon as new information becomes available.

For additional information, please contact:

NIOC Administration

Email: admin@ng911ioc.org

Members of the 9-1-1 community are invited to submit nominations for the NG9-1-1 Interoperability Oversight Commission (Commission), also known as the NIOC. This body provides independent oversight of the PSAP Credentialing Agency (PCA) and the Forest Guide, two functional elements required to be operated centrally for NG9-1-1 to work according to prevailing standards. These requirements come from specifications developed under NENA’s standards NENA Development Group (NDG) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The Commission seeks individuals representing:

• Commercial providers of NG9-1-1 core services (voting)
• State/Provincial 9-1-1 Authorities (voting)
• Local/Regional 9-1-1 Authorities (voting)
• NENA Core Services Committee Member
• Elected Officials (voting)

The Commission also seeks liaisons representing:

• United States Federal Communications Commission (non-voting)

Members of the 9-1-1 community are invited to nominate a qualifying individual to serve on this Commission. Please send all nominations to admin@ng911ioc.org by February 28, 2025. The NENA board will confirm commission members at its March meeting. Each commissioner shall serve a 2-year term.

When submitting a nominee, please provide the following documentation (or equivalent):

• The nominee’s resume or CV
• A short statement describing the nominee’s qualifications, such as related technical expertise and/or subject domain in 9-1-1
• A short statement clarifying the rationale that the nominee represents the identified stakeholder group
• Evidence that the nominee represents the identified stakeholder group, if applicable, such as an affirmative vote of a board of directors nominating the nominee to sit on the Commission 

All commissioners shall adhere to the Commission’s bylaws, which are available at https://ng911ioc.org/library/.

The NG9-1-1 Interoperability Oversight Commission (NIOC) is pleased to announce the 2024 appointments to the Commission. The NIOC consists of stakeholders from the public and private sectors that are affected by standards-driven NG9-1-1 security and interoperability programs.  Appointees will be formally sworn in at the next public meeting of the Commission.  This meeting will be held April 10, 2024, at 12:00 PM ET.  The public is encouraged to attend.  For meeting information please visit ng911ioc.org.

Dave Sehnert, Head of Public Safety Partnerships with Rapid SOS has been reappointed to NIOC as the delegate representing the president of the NENA Board.

Amy McDowell, Director of Greenville County (South Carolina) Office of 9-1-1 joins the NIOC as a member representing the NENA Development Steering Council.

Brooks Shannon, Director, Emergency Communications Solutions of Esri joins the NIOC as a member representing Commercial Providers of NG9-1-1 End-User Products.

Eric Caddy, Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Next Generation Advanced (NGA) joins the NIOC as a member representing Commercial Providers of NG9-1-1 Core Services.

Darlene Pankonie, Communications Division Manager, Washington County (Minnesota) Sheriff’s Office has been reappointed to NIOC as a member representing PSAPs/ECC with a direct responsibility for handling 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Ian Stephenson, 9-1-1 Technology Division Telecommunications Engineer with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, has been reappointed to NIOC as a member representing public safety associations not otherwise represented by another member.

Brian Tegtmeyer, Coordinator of the National 911 Program, has been reappointed the NIOC as a non-voting liaison from the United States National 911 program.

Etienne Robelin, Manager, Emergency Services of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has been reappointed to the NIOC as a non-voting liaison representing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all members of the NIOC who have diligently served over the past three years, as some now transition from active roles within the organization. The invaluable contributions of Rick Blackwell, Jeff Wittek, and Doug Cunningham stand out prominently; their unwavering support and sage advice have significantly shaped our journey during these critical developmental stages. As we bid farewell to esteemed colleagues, we eagerly anticipate welcoming new members who will bring their professional perspectives and expertise, ensuring our ongoing pursuit of enhanced interoperability and expanding opportunities.” says NIOC Chair Steve McMurrer.

The NIOC is the independent oversight governance body for the NG9-1-1 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Forest Guide, and other technical-interoperability services necessary for interoperability and security in NG9-1-1. NIOC Commissioners serve two-year terms per the Bylaws.  At the end of their terms, Commissioners may resign or seek reappointment, and can serve unlimited consecutive terms at the discretion of the NENA Board.  The Bylaws and additional information about NIOC are available at ng911ioc.org.