Press Releases

March 24, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nationwide

Contact: Amanda Romaine, GeoComm

GeoComm’s Greg Ballentine leads Public Safety Delegation in China

St. Cloud, MN:  GeoComm’s Director of Consulting Services and APCO Past President Greg Ballentine recently led a group of public safety professionals on a Public Safety Emergency Services Delegation to China.  The delegation, which consisted of 10 people, spent two weeks in China visiting three different cities to learn about their public safety issues and challenges as well as their unique approaches to solving them. 

While in China the group visited an Emergency Service Control Center, an Urban Search and Rescue Training Center, a local Fire Department, Medical Center EMS Dispatch Service, and a local volunteer organization that is dedicated to disaster relief.  They were also able to learn how China is preparing to deal with important communication challenges during the upcoming World Expo in Shanghai and participate in roundtable discussions to see how China deals with emerging technology, training requirements, and interoperability.  In addition, they observed the availability of emergency services available to the residents.

“I was pleased to be able to travel to China with such a distinguished group of emergency services professionals from the United States” said Greg Ballentine.  “The ability to exchange technical and operational public safety experiences at this level was extremely beneficial to our delegation and our local hosts in China.  Despite the vast cultural and political differences, many of the issues we deal with are similar.” 

This delegation was organized by the People to People Ambassador Programs which was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D Eisenhower.  The program was created to give delegates the opportunity to meet and interact with colleagues from around the world, resulting in rewarding professional growth.  The 2010 Public Safety Emergency Services Delegation focused on introducing public safety professionals to the similarities and differences emergency services face in China.

About GeoComm: GeoComm, an integrated GIS and public safety consulting firm, creates systems for 9‑1-1.  These systems originate from three dedicated angles: accurate map development, highly functional mapping software, and comprehensive consulting services ranging from wireless Phase I and II planning to two-way radio and networking to CPE, RFP and PSAP consolidation studies.  Over the past 14 years, GeoComm has successfully deployed over 6,000 licenses of public safety and law enforcement focused GIS software applications in different sites throughout 42 states.

GeoComm’s Family of Products provides the tools necessary to speed and enhance emergency response.  These tools reduce response times, improve data accuracy and quality, accelerate communications, and provide mission critical GIS-based decision support.