National Emergency Communications Working Group – Australia/New Zealand
The National Emergency Communications Working Group – A/NZ (NECWG–A/NZ) has existed since 1995 at which time emergency communications organisations established a forum in which to discuss coordination of cross jurisdiction response and develop collective positions in relation to emergency communications services.
In today’s modern and dynamic societies, people within Australia and New Zealand have an expectation that the ability to request urgent assistance is always there. There is also an expectation that a person will get access to the most appropriate person to assist them, whether for urgent or non-urgent assistance, at first contact. Demand for urgent and non-urgent assistance, and access to timely information is challenging providers of emergency communications services to both manage the volume and respond to community expectations.
The NECWG- A/NZ is a representative and influential public safety body focussed on:
- Advocating, and/or influencing change, for the ECS of Australia and New Zealand in a timely manner to support planning and the impacts of more immediate challenges
- Enabling and promoting innovation and collaboration across ESO’s, ECPs, government, industry, and stakeholders of the ECS
- Being a trusted advisor to ESO’s, ECPs, government, industry, and stakeholders of the ECS
- Promoting and supporting community, executive, and industry education and awareness of the ECS
- Coordinating and supporting development of guidelines, positions, and strategic documents to engender consistent and appropriate interaction with the ECS
- Supporting professional development
- Monitoring and researching innovation and evolution related to emergency communications
- Establishing and participating in international emergency communications forums
- Maintaining and enhancing the robust and engaged network of ECS stakeholders through leveraging the group’s collective experience, knowledge and skills
The NECWG-A/NZ consists of Australia and New Zealand representatives from: Emergency Service Organisations (ESO); Public Safety Organisations (PSO); the Emergency Call Persons (ECP) and Carrier representatives. NECWG-A/NZ has established a solid reputation as an effective working group that is able to provide independent analysis of critical matters impacting on Emergency Call Services.
NECWG-A/NZ works within a framework of informal relationships which enables it to contribute to policy, regulatory, and operational determinations with regard to the Emergency Call Services of Australia and New Zealand.