Get ready for the control rooms revolution by joining interactive ESN workshops

2nd Jul 2020

PRESS RELEASE
2 JULY, 2020

APD Communications is launching a series of online workshops to guide control room leaders through major changes that will transform how their teams operate and communicate.

The clock is ticking towards the phased introduction of the revolutionary Emergency Services Network (ESN), a new, state-of-the-art LTE communications network for the UK’s emergency services. 

APD is at the cutting edge of software development for LTE internationally and is delivering a major contract awarded by the Home Office earlier this year to enable blue light organisations and other public services to move to the new network.

Now, as emergency services organisations work towards ESN going live within the next 18 months, APD is running a series of interactive online workshops to guide critical control room operations and teams through the changes.

Participants will be able to learn from and ask questions of experts at the forefront of the transition, including APD Managing Director Mike Isherwood and APD’s Strategic Policing Advisor Gordon Meldrum QPM, who is also former Director of Intelligence at the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The workshops are part of a 12-month programme to guide control rooms to ready for ESN. They are aimed at senior emergency services officers with responsibility for contact, command and control operations, as well as communications and HR colleagues.

Content will be tailored to include how those managing the transition can help their control room teams to adapt, as well as how they roll out new devices, with APD providing step-by-step support, advice and reassurance on managing such a significant technical, operational and cultural change.

Mike Isherwood said: “We know emergency services and organisations in the critical control field are excited by this change, but that they also appreciate the scale and risks associated with the challenge.

“We have been working with LTE and control room change for many years and have built up considerable knowledge and expertise. We want to share that with people who are focused on making the change a success within their organisations.

“We’re planning a series of workshops and the content will be shaped by the participants as they evolve. We’re here to help those who take part to feel confident in every aspect of the transition – we’re on a journey together.

“It would be great if delegates can join for the full programme, but we’re structuring it so they can easily catch up with previous sessions. We will also provide useful resources for participants to take away and work through to check they’re on track for going live.”

The first workshop, run through Microsoft Teams live events, will take place on 9 July with more dates to follow, on a monthly basis. Each session will run for an hour, followed by 30 minutes of questions.

Participants will be able to submit questions in advance of each workshop and take part in live discussions, as well as participating in a live Q&A for everyone involved. 

Participation is open to all organisations affected by the ESN transition. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

To register for the first workshop, go to https://www.apdcomms.com/events/2020/5/28/getting-ready-for-esn-20

To qualify, registration must be completed using an e-mail with an official domain related to a UK emergency services organisation. 

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact: 

John Meehan, Meehan Media & Comms (on behalf of APD Communications).

Tel 01482 223479 or 07803 199492.

E-mail: john@meehanmedia.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

APD COMMUNICATIONS

• APD Communications creates secure, intelligent and connected control room and fleet technologies that help organisations protect and preserve society.
• Founded by two academics from the University of Hull and still based in the city, APD has developed cutting-edge digital technology for more than 35 years and is an acknowledged market leader in software development.
• APD made its name in the 1980s by designing and delivering the world’s first real-time bus tracking system, which then became the industry benchmark. Later, APD engineered the Eurotunnel control room communications platform, facilitating connectivity between the British and French borders and inside the tunnel itself.
• Today 69% of UK police forces employs APD’s technology, while APD also services the national transport and aviation sectors. The London Underground runs safely and on time with assistance from APD technology, which tracks train locations and supports control room collaboration across the 250-mile network.