The conference is developed through abstracts submitted through a Call for Presentations. The Conference Committee, comprised of URISA and NENA members, reviews all of the abstracts received by the deadline date, and organizes the educational sessions according to those abstracts. The Committee has specified three program tracks for the conference, and they are each described below.

Adventures in Addressing

The development and maintenance of an understandable and consistent addressing system is a complex process. Addresses are used for locating a home, mail delivery, utilities, voting, allocation of local, state, and federal funds, and emergency response. It is one thing if the pizza delivery has difficulty locating an address, but with emergency response a life may be on the line. Disparate addressing practices, poor address quality, funding, and lack of understanding all lead to poor addressing. This track will outline key issues, solutions, and best practices related to good addressing, while sharing insights, tips, and lessons learned.

E-911: It's All About Location

Accurate locations are paramount to getting the right emergency responders to the correct location in a quick and efficient manner. Errors and discrepancies exist in all data and must be minimized for public safety and emergency response. The same data used by 9-1-1 and emergency response can be used by many others throughout the enterprise. This track will showcase lessons learned and best practices for addressing for public safety and is usable by everyone.

Addressing Strategies for Success

Many public and private entities can benefit from a well-conceived addressing system that involves cooperation, sharing of resources, and forming alliances. The addressing system must be easily understood, accepted and used by everyone. Any successful addressing system must include the cooperation of all stakeholders and the United States Postal Service (USPS). A strong maintenance program is also essential for maintaining the integrity of the addressing system. This track will cover case studies, best practice solutions, and training for the establishment and maintenance of a successful addressing strategy.

A review committee of NENA and URISA members will organize an educational program based on the abstracts submitted through the Call for Presentations. Abstract submissions will be accepted until February 18, 2010. The link directly to the Call for Presentations is: www.urisa.org/addressing/2010charlotte

About NENA – The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is The Voice of 9-1-1 ™. Now celebrating its 25th Year, NENA was established to promote implementation and awareness of 9-1-1 as North America’s universal emergency number. NENA has grown to become the leading professional non-profit organization dedicated solely to 9-1-1 emergency communications issues. For more information, visit www.nena.org

About URISA — The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) is a non-profit professional and educational association that promotes the effective and ethical use of spatial information and information technologies for the understanding and management of urban and regional systems. URISA is a multidisciplinary association where professionals from all parts of the spatial data community can come together and share concerns and ideas. For more information, visit www.urisa.org