Company News

The following information is obtained directly from companies, usually from press releases. Google search the company name for more information.

King County, Washington Partners With Geocomm For 9-1-1 Dispatch Center Consolidation Feasibility Study

May 14, 2012 — King County, Washington partners with GeoComm for 9-1-1 dispatch center consolidation feasibility study

St. Cloud, MN: The King County Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) Program Office and the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Consolidation Steering Committee, which is comprised of local PSAP, police, fire, and emergency medical services representatives, have selected GeoComm Public Safety Consulting Services to provide a PSAP/9-1-1 dispatch center consolidation assessment of the King County E9-1-1 system. King County seeks a high-quality study to assess whether the current PSAP structure provides the most efficient and effective emergency communications services possible. The study will identify potential enhancements to emergency services that may be achieved. The timing for the study is critical since the county is considering PSAP equipment and operational upgrades that would be necessary for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).

During the seven-month project, GeoComm Consulting Services will provide a comprehensive review of the existing operations and technology at each of the 12 PSAPs in King County. A goal of the study is to determine opportunities to enhance public safety services and examine the feasibility of alternate methods for serving the county and municipalities within King County.

“King County has been actively working to upgrade the E9-1-1 system to NG9-1-1 technology. This assessment will assist us in identifying the optimum PSAP configuration for moving forward into NG9-1-1,” said Marlys Davis, King County’s E9-1-1 Program Manager.

GeoComm will provide a series of reports throughout the project that define the current status of 9-1-1 and PSAP operations, expenditures, equipment in the 12 PSAPs, and recommendations for the future of 9-1-1 service.

“GeoComm is honored to work with the public safety agencies in King County,” said Greg Ballentine, GeoComm’s Director of Consulting Services. “This part of the country is well-known for providing excellent public safety services, and we are pleased to be chosen to partner with such a stellar group.”

About GeoComm: Over the past 16 years, GeoComm has conducted more than 600 public safety consulting projects and has been at the forefront of understanding and implementing public safety communications systems. GeoComm subscribes to the Project Management Institute’s effective practices and Code of Ethics. We partner with our customers to develop unique solutions and recommendations based in their environment.

Indiana agencies use Spillman to share data, improve efficiency

Daviess and Greene counties plan to use software system for records and jail management

Washington, IN – May 11, 2012 – Two Indiana public safety agencies will use a shared Spillman software system to help them improve efficiency and exchange critical data between agency divisions.

Daviess County Sheriff Jerry Harbstreit said his agency selected Spillman because it wanted a single software system that could fulfill all of the department’s jail, mobile, dispatch, and law records needs.

“We had good equipment, but we couldn’t access all of the information needed when out in our cars,” Harbstreit said, adding that the agency also struggled to access data from headquarters and share information between divisions.

Once the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department goes live with the Spillman system in August, deputies will be able to capture the details of an incident at the scene and complete forms and reports from their laptop computers. The result, Harbstreit said, will be less travel time and more accurate reporting.

“We anticipate that the Spillman system will keep our deputies safer, make their jobs easier, help them work more efficiently, and even help us in our investigative roles to get the job done quicker,” he said.

Using Spillman’s AVL Mapping module, dispatchers will be able to view the location of deputies and incidents on an electronic map.

“It’s a big safety thing for the dispatchers,” Harbstreit said. “It gives them the ease of knowing where our deputies are at all times.”

The neighboring Greene County Sheriff’s Department will share Daviess County’s Spillman system, storing data on a server hosted at the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department.

The Spillman software is an eagerly anticipated replacement for the agency’s current record management system, which is unsupported by the vendor and makes it difficult for personnel to retrieve the data they need, said Greene County Community Liaison Cheri Campbell.

“The Spillman system has so many plusses – I call it a Disneyland for dispatchers. It’s just got all the bells and whistles that we need,” Campbell said.

The rural county has a small tax base and is always looking for the “best bang for its dollar,” Campbell said. Sharing a system with Daviess County enables them to benefit from state-of-the-art software without having to shoulder the hardware costs associated with having their own system.

Campbell said her agency was impressed by Spillman’s financial stability and the fact that it has never been merged or sold. When she and Greene County Sheriff Terry Pierce retire in a few years, Campbell said, they want to leave the county with a public safety software system it can rely on.

“It’s our legacy for the department,” Campbell said.

When the Daviess County and Greene County agencies go live with their system, they will be among 105 agencies in Indiana and more than 1,000 agencies around the country using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

OOMA EXTENDS FREE 911 ALERTS TO BASIC SERVICE CUSTOMERS

Real-time Emergency Alerts Provide Peace of Mind and Critical Communications

PALO ALTO, Calif. —May 9, 2012 — Ooma, Inc., the leading provider of HD-quality free home phone service, today announced that it is extending its popular 911 Alerts feature to its Basic service customers in the U.S. and Canada. The 911 Alerts feature, which is made possible by the Ooma online platform, provides added peace of mind because it can accelerate critical communications during a home emergency situation.

With the 911 Alerts feature, Ooma subscribers can enter up to three email addresses or mobile phone numbers using the “My Ooma” online control panel. Once the emergency notification group is set up, Ooma will automatically send alert messages to specified recipients whenever 911 is called from the subscriber’s Ooma phone number.

“Based on overwhelmingly positive customer feedback and the difference that 911 Alerts can help make in an emergency situation, we decided to make it available for free to all of our Basic service customers,” said Jim Gustke, Vice President of Marketing at Ooma. “We hope that our customers will never have to receive a 911 Alert, but the opportunity to be on top of an unexpected emergency at home, or with someone close to them, adds a lot of peace of mind. Free 911 Alerts is just one feature of many that clearly sets Ooma apart from other home phone service options.”

Kellie Scrogum, an Ooma customer who lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, purchased an Ooma Telo for her parents who are elderly to save money on their monthly phone bill and for the advanced features that Ooma provides. Recently when her mother called 911 because her father needed help, she instantly received a text and email informing her that a 911 call was placed from her parents’ home.

“I was able to beat the EMTs to the house, thanks to Ooma,” says Scrogum. “My father ended up being fine, but both my parents were shocked that I knew what was going on even before the EMTs had a chance to show up. Not only is Ooma’s quality of service amazing, but I gain the assurance of being immediately alerted when 911 is called from my parent’s home. My brother, parents and I all use Ooma, and we love it. What an amazingly awesome product.”

Other features bundled with Ooma’s basic level of service include free nationwide calls, caller-ID, call waiting, 911 service, Ooma Bluetooth service that allows mobile phone calls to be answered on Ooma home phone systems, Ooma Wireless service that allows the Ooma Telo to be placed anywhere in range of a Wi-Fi network, and one-touch voicemail access at home or remote voicemail access from any phone or Web browser.

The Ooma 911 Alerts feature was previously available only to Ooma Premier service customers, an optional level of service that includes more than 25 advanced features for $9.99/month. Some of the most popular Ooma Premier features include an Instant Second Line™ from any Ooma Telo Handset, three-way conferencing, Multi-Ring to simultaneously ring or forward calls to a mobile phone, Voicemail Forwarding to Email so subscribers can listen to voicemail messages from any computer or smart phone, and Blacklist features to block certain callers or send them to voicemail and avoid unwanted solicitations.

About Ooma, Inc.

Founded in 2004, Ooma offers a consumer electronics device that provides free U.S. and Canadian telephone calling and advanced telephony services to hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. Customers pay only applicable taxes and fees. Ooma delivers HD-quality call clarity and the reliability of traditional phone service at a fraction of the cost, in a sleek and innovative design. The Ooma Mobile HD app allows customers to make U.S. and international calls from their Android, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. Ooma is available at more than 4,000 leading retailers and online destinations. For more information, go to www.ooma.com (U.S.) or www.ooma.com/ca (Canada) or visit www.ooma.com/blog.

All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

The detailed terms and conditions of Ooma’s products, services, and support, including important 911 Alert information and limitations, are fully set forth in the Terms and Conditions at http://www.ooma.com/terms.

TeleCommunication Systems Extends Industry-Leading 9-1-1 Support to Next Generation VoLTE Networks

Voice over LTE 9-1-1 Solution Enables Seamless Transition for Carriers Upgrading to 4G/LTE Networks

NEW ORLEANS, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — CTIA Booth: 4423 — TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, today announced the availability of TCS VoLTE (Voice over LTE) 9-1-1, enabling carriers to reliably deliver emergency voice communication services as they transition to new 4G/LTE networks.

Network operators are embracing next generation network technologies to provide improved service for subscribers. As services evolve and the public embraces LTE, carriers must meet Federal Communications Commission mandates to ensure that 9-1-1 services reliably support public safety requirements without interruption. TCS is an active participant and lead contributor in LTE standards as they relate to 9-1-1 technology. Built upon the single largest VoIP emergency call processing platform in the nation, the TCS VoLTE 9-1-1 solution is cost-effective, highly flexible, customizable and standards-based.

The TCS VoLTE 9-1-1 Solution includes:

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) platform built for LTE and dedicated to 9-1-1 processing: The emergency call routing platform uses a robust, highly-reliable, standards-based SIP architecture that natively supports the IMS-based LTE network over which 9-1-1 calls are delivered.

Call routing to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP): The TCS 9-1-1 Emergency Call Server (ECS) Route Determination Function routes a VoLTE 9-1-1 call using well-established FCC Phase-I data (Cell ID) and further provides new routing capabilities based on Wi-Fi MAC Address and Femtocell ID.

Re-bid by PSAP for precise location after call routing: The TCS 9-1-1 ECS Location Retrieval Function (LRF) allows a wireless operator complete flexibility in choosing its underlying high-accuracy location technology. The ECS-LRF supports updated/precise position requests using any of the following:

Control Plan Location request using Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) to an E-GMLC (Evolved GMLC)

User Plane Location request using MLP to a User Plane Location Server

PSAP telecommunicators can call back if disconnected: The TCS solution remains fully backwards compatible supporting necessary functions such as providing PSAPs with full 10-digit subscriber callback numbers.

Emergency voice call continuity for location service: The TCS 9-1-1 ECS supports location continuity and location delivery to the PSAPs in the usage scenarios where the 9-1-1 call switches from 4G/LTE to 3G/2G networks.

Multiple provisioning interface tools: These tools make cell site database provisioning quick and easy and enables wireless operators to select the option that best meets their deployment needs, resulting in timely and responsive 9-1-1 data management.

Chris Nabinger, senior vice president, Safety & Security Group, TCS, said: “TCS is dedicated to the development of 9-1-1 solutions that improve public safety and emergency response. As carriers transition to delivering voice over 4G/LTE networks, subscribers expect that access to 9-1-1 services will be reliable and uninterrupted. The TCS VoLTE 9-1-1 solution takes advantage of TCS’ years of experience in the public safety communications marketplace to help ensure subscribers receive the connectivity and responsiveness they need in an emergency situation.”

Since deploying the first U.S. wireless E9-1-1 solution in 1998, TCS has been pioneering public safety solutions for wireless E9-1-1, NG9-1-1 and E1-1-2. TCS supports half of all U.S. wireless E9-1-1 calls serving more than 140 million wireless and IP-enabled devices. With the nation’s only non-carrier TL 9000-certified wireless and VoIP E9-1-1 Network Operations Center (NOC), TCS’ highly-reliable E9-1-1 solutions ensure that a subscriber’s emergency call routes to the appropriate PSAP and automatically delivers the caller’s location information.

About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) is a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology. TCS infrastructure forms the foundation for market leading solutions in E9-1-1, text messaging, commercial location and deployable wireless communications. TCS is at the forefront of new mobile cloud computing services providing wireless applications for navigation, hyper-local search, asset tracking, social applications and telematics. Millions of consumers around the world use TCS wireless apps as a fundamental part of their daily lives. Government agencies utilize TCS’ cyber security expertise and professional services and highly secure, deployable satellite solutions for mission-critical communications. Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, TCS maintains technical, service

Zetron Leads Industry in CSSI-based Installations with 2 Years and 500,000 Hours of Successful Operation

Zetron is an industry leader in the application and promulgation of open-standards-based technologies. Zetron Advanced Communications (Acom) systems featuring CSSI-based technologies have been running successfully at customer sites for more than two years and have logged over 500,000 hours of operation. Acom using CSSI-based technologies has also tested successfully with numerous leading manufacturers’ radio infrastructure systems.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., May 3, 2012 – Zetron, a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions worldwide, is also an industry leader in the application and promulgation of the TIA Project 25 (P25) Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI). Zetron Advanced Communication (Acom) systems featuring CSSI-based technologies have been operating successfully for over two years and have logged more than 500,000 operational hours.

Customers to whom Zetron has provided Acom systems using CSSI-based technologies include:

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who used the system to manage communications and security at the July 2010 G8 /G20 Summit in Toronto, Canada.
The Cumberland County 9-1-1/Dispatch Center, Cumberland, TN.
The Civil Police in São Paulo, Brazil.
Companhia de Transmissão de Energia Elétrica Paulista (CTEEP), which handles electric power transmission for 30 percent of the electricity produced in Brazil.

Benefits to customers

There are important reasons why Zetron is an ongoing and active supporter of the CSSI. These include:

Enhanced interoperability: Consoles that use CSSI-based technologies are able to interoperate with a wide variety of radios across agencies and jurisdictions. This is because the CSSI defines a standard interface between the radio dispatch console and the Radio Frequency Subsystem (RFSS).
Compatibility and choice: Equipment that utilizes the CSSI is inherently compatible, even if it is from different manufacturers. This allows customers to choose equipment from multiple vendors rather than being limited to a single vendor’s proprietary offerings.
Cost effectiveness: Because the CSSI supports expanded customer choice, it fosters healthy competition and fair pricing among vendors.

Successful CSSI testing

Zetron has tested its Acom system using CSSI-based technologies with numerous leading manufacturers’ radio infrastructure systems. The tests, written according to the TIA CSSI standard, ensure that the equipment will integrate and perform together as the standard requires. Partners in these efforts have included:

Cassidian
Tait
Harris
Raytheon
Auria Wireless
Daniels Electronics

“Zetron is very proud to be a driving force in projects and partnerships that further the use of CSSI-based technologies,” said Zetron president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. “Customers report that their Acom solutions utilizing the CSSI are indeed delivering the improved interoperability, compatibility, flexibility and choice they require. It’s clear that CSSI-based technologies are living up to their promise.”

About Zetron

For over 30 years, Zetron has been providing mission-critical communications solutions to customers in public safety, transportation, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare and business. With offices in the U.S.A., U.K., Australia and numerous field locations, Zetron supports a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. This gives Zetron a global reach as well as a local presence in the regions it serves. Zetron is a wholly owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. For more information, visit www.zetron.com.

City of Concord, North Carolina, chooses Tait P25 digital solution

2 May, 2012, Houston, Texas, USA

City of Concord, USA, has implemented a P25-compliant communications solution from Tait which supports Police and Fire departments and provides critical communications interoperability between agencies for the City’s large-scale public events.

The Tait network will also support highly secure multi-agency communications for the Democratic National Convention, to be held in neighboring Charlotte, in September.

The Tait open-standards solution comprises P25 digital conventional 800MHz channels and a VHF channel for Concord’s Police and Fire Departments, plus a UHF channel for Concord Mills Mall security staff.

Concord Radio Communications Manager Chris Linker says that a reliable dual-mode communications solution was critical for the City’s requirements, particularly during racing events.

“Concord’s population of 80,000 more than doubles during NASCAR racing weekends, which the City hosts three times a year,” says Chris.

“To manage public safety for these events, we needed a fully interoperable solution so that first responders called in from the wider state and county could communicate effectively with each other over the network.”

To achieve genuine interoperability between agencies, the City chose Tait best-in-class TB9100 base stations, which provide dual-mode P25 digital and analog FM operation.

“Tait TB9100 base stations met our requirements for reliability, interoperability and highly secure encryption, while also enabling the City to be fully compliant with the 2013 narrowband mandate,” he says.

The Tait P25 digital conventional channels provide secure, encrypted voice communications for covert policing operations, while also serving as a redundant layer for the City’s Fire and Police responders subscribing to the regional network.

Steve Cragg, President, Tait Communications Americas, says: “City of Concord has selected a cost-effective radio communications platform that is easy to grow in size and functionality, and is genuinely interoperable with analog or other P25-compliant equipment.

“Tait Communications has a proven track record of designing and delivering P25 solutions that meet the needs of our customers, and we are delighted that Concord has selected Tait to meet the needs of its public safety and emergency service providers,” adds Steve.

About Tait Communications

Tait Communications is a global leader in designing, delivering and managing innovative communications solutions that help utilities and public safety organizations to keep the lights on and communities safe.

Radio communications is at the heart of our business. We provide world-class turnkey solutions for challenging environments from the Gobi Desert to South American jungles, from highly populated cities to vast rural communities.

Every day, in over 150 countries and supported by an extensive network of global facilities, thousands of customers benefit from the Tait way of working: commitment to listen, courage to act and integrity to deliver what’s promised.

APCO Announces Featured Speakers At Upcoming Second Annual Public Safety Broadband Summit & Expo

Larry Strickling, NTIA Administrator, to Keynote Day One Events; Deputy White House CTO Tom Power Featured Speaker on Day Two

Alexandria, Va. – May 1, 2012 – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) today announced that Lawrence Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, and Tom Power, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Telecommunications at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President, will be the featured speakers at the Second Annual Public Safety Broadband Summit and Expo. The Summit and Expo will be held at the Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel on May 14th and 15th.

“APCO International is thrilled to host these two well-regarded members of the Administration at this year’s Public Safety Broadband Summit and Expo,” said APCO President Gregg Riddle. “The public safety community looks forward to utilizing the valuable insight shared by these distinguished senior officials to make progress toward a highly-effective nationwide public safety broadband network.”

Strickling will kick off the event as keynote speaker, and Power will serve as the featured speaker for day two of the Summit. This year’s focus will be on jumpstarting collaboration among public safety, federal, state and local government, and industry, as envisioned by the public safety provisions of H.R. 3630, to achieve the goal of providing first responders with a nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN).

Attendees will have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the critical aspects of the legislation, progress made to date, and what to expect in the coming months. The Summit will also allow for key federal stakeholders to provide attendees with updates on the progress of the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, the independent agency housed within the NTIA that is charged with overseeing the implementation, construction and sustainment of the NPSBN.

Cassidian Communications Recognizes Liberty County, Fla., 9-1-1 Center Dispatcher Junior Lolly with Dispatcher of the Month Award

Visually-impaired call taker is an industry leader with more than 30 years on-the-job
Lolly assisted in the testing of the latest version of the Sentinel Patriot 3.2 call processing solution

TEMECULA, Calif., April 30, 2012—Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is pleased to recognize Junior Lolly from Liberty County, Fla., 9-1-1 Communications Center, as the Cassidian Communications Dispatcher of the Month.

“One of the reasons Liberty County 9-1-1 is unique is the fact that its lead call taker has been on the job since 1980 and has been blind since the age of 12. Today, Lolly processes more than 300 emergency and administrative calls a day, which is more than three times the amount he processed in his earlier days at the center.” said Brandon Hoquist, product line manager, Cassidian Communications.

As technology advances entered the 9-1-1 center, Lolly’s job became more complicated as additional programs and monitors were introduced. Today, Lolly uses new technology designed to assist the visually impaired.

“He never sends a responder to the wrong place and can tell someone where to turn by landmarks,” said Stephen Ford, 9-1-1 coordinator, Liberty County 9-1-1 Communications Center. “He has only asked me where an address is located three or four times since I have worked with him. He does a better job than any sighted call takers I know.”

A renowned professional, Lolly says that no single call stands out among the thousands he has taken—from natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and lightening storms, to emergencies related to house fires, grave injuries and serious accidents.

“I’m not in this for the money,” Lolly states. “This is not a job where you get rich. I do it to help people and to be there for the community. It’s a calling. It’s a desire I was born with.”

The Liberty County 9-1-1 Center recently completed testing of the latest version of the Sentinel® Patriot® call processing solution, release 3.2. Built to support up to 100 call taking positions, the Sentinel Patriot 3.2 solution is designed to handle up to two million calls per year, is fault tolerant with no single point of failure and delivers scalable, redundant, remote survivable systems with ultra-high reliability. This feature rich solution provides call centers such as Liberty County with a clear path to next generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services as they become available industry-wide.

Hoquist continued, “Cassidian Communications recognizes usability as one of the utmost needs for accurate and efficient operations in the call center and is a key differentiator when comparing our products to those of other solution providers.”

Liberty County 9-1-1 has been a Cassidian Communications customer since 2005 and currently is operating the latest Sentinel Patriot solution on its three call taking positions. The 9-1-1 center is responsible for taking emergency and administrative calls for services from the approximately 8,000 county residents. The center also is responsible for dispatching calls for all law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire response for the county.

The Sentinel Patriot solution supports single- and multiple-site 9-1-1 centers as well as geographically diverse, centralized and hosted solutions. The solution is NENA-compliant and is an IETF standards-based IP-centric call management suite designed to handle all calls seamlessly from a single switch.

Cassidian Communications continues to serve clients ranging from public safety operations to Fortune 1000 corporations to federal agencies. Collectively, the company has more than 40 years of experience deploying 9-1-1 call processing solutions, notification solutions and first responder digital trunked radio networks.

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Headquartered in Temecula, California.

About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)

EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

14 People Receive 2012 APCO International Public Safety Leadership Awards

Senators McCain and Lieberman among winners to be honored at APCO’s Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner in May

Daytona Beach, FL—April 25, 2012— Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International has announced the recipients of the 2012 Public Safety Leadership in Policy Awards who will be honored at APCO’s 8th Annual Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner in Washington, DC on May 15, 2012.

The Public Safety Communications Leadership in Policy Awards Dinner commemorates leaders in public safety communications who are outstanding advocates for the industry and advance all aspects of public safety policy. In addition to the annual award categories, APCO is adding a special category in 2012.

To mark the monumental achievements of the Public Safety Alliance (PSA), APCO will recognize the leadership from each of the PSA partner organizations who helped secure legislation that changed the landscape of public safety communications. The PSA successfully advocated for, and secured legislation that allocated the D Block spectrum for public safety and $7 billion in funding. It also created FirstNet, an independent agency within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, that will ensure the development of a nationwide public safety broadband network.

The tireless efforts of stakeholders from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Association of EMS Officials resulted in the victory for public safety. For this reason APCO is recognizing members from each organization who made the D Block campaign a success.

The award winner of each category is:

Leadership in Advocacy Award – Richard Mirgon, Past President, APCO International

Leadership in Regulatory Service Award – Jeffery Goldthorp, Associate Bureau Chief, Federal Communications Commission

Leadership in Legislative Service Award – United States Senator John McCain (R-AZ), United States Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT)

Leadership in Advancing Communications Policy Award – Anna Gomez, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Deputy Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

Special Partnership Recognition Awards

Harlin R. McEwen, Chair, International Association of Chiefs of Police Communications & Technology Committee

Christopher M. Moore, Chief of Police, San Jose Police Department

Paul H. Fitzgerald, Sheriff, Story County Iowa, President NSA

William J. McCammon, Executive Director, East Bay Regional Communications System Authority

Matt Cowles, Director of Government Relations, National Emergency Management Association

Raymond. J. Flynn, Assistant Sheriff, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Jeffrey D. Johnson, Past President, International Association of Fire Chiefs

Kevin McGinnis, Program Manager, National Association of State EMS Officials

Andrew Seybold, CEO and Principal Consultant, Andrew Seybold, Inc.

Award recipients will be recognized by public safety communications leaders, government, state and local officials and others at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, DC.

Public safety communications officials interested in attending the May 15th dinner should visit http://leadersdinner.apcointl.org to purchase tickets.

Six agencies purchase Spillman, 37 expand systems in Q1

Agencies will use Spillman to conduct electronic measurements, communicate during airport foot and bicycle patrols

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – April 24, 2012 – Six public safety agencies purchased software from Spillman Technologies for the first time during the first quarter of 2012, bringing the total number of Spillman customers to more than 1,000 public safety agencies in 35 states nationwide. In addition to the new agencies, 37 agencies expanded their existing Spillman systems.

Using Spillman’s Pictometry Interface, the Okeechobee County Fire Rescue in Florida will have the ability to view all sides of a mapped image and electronically measure a structure’s height, area, pitch, and distance from other objects. The agency will be using the software as part of a shared Spillman system hosted by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office. The fire department will also use the Fire Mobile CAD and AVL modules, which will enable personnel to access critical call information, communicate with dispatchers, and view information about hazardous materials from a laptop computer. Firefighters can also use the software to see the location of calls and units on an electronic map.

The Panorama Police Department in Texas will use Spillman’s Imaging module to store, edit, and share mug shots, photos of evidence, and other digital images. Using the software, the police department can automatically generate lineups based on a set of pre-defined characteristics and attach images to records throughout the Spillman system. Using Spillman’s Mobile State and National Queries module, field officers will have the ability to search state and national databases for information on names, vehicles, property, weapons, and wanted persons. The software enables officers to query state and federal in a single search while working from their laptop computers.

In Utah, officers at the Salt Lake City Department of Airports will have the ability to communicate with dispatchers and update their status from a smart phone or tablet computer. Using the new Spillman Touch module, officers can view calls and dispatcher comments, search the database for records, and update their status as they respond to or arrive at an incident. The software will also allow the officers to communicate with dispatchers during bicycle or foot patrol while minimizing radio traffic.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 1,000 police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

New sales:

Hayden Police Department, Ariz.
Medford Police Department, Wis.
Okeechobee County Fire Rescue, Fla.
Panorama Police Department, Texas
Redgranite Police Department, Wis.
Taylor County Sheriff’s Department, Wis.

Add-on sales highlights:

Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, Utah
Campbell County Fire Department, Wyo.
Cumberland County Sheriff, Colo.
Emporia Police Department, Kan.
Northbrook Police Department, Ill.
Payson Police Department, Utah
Salt Lake Department of Airports, Utah
Skagit County Data Processing, Wash.
Waldo County Communication Center, Maine
Wenatchee Police Department, Wash.

Denise Amber Lee Foundation Inspires Unanimous Vote At New Hampshire 9-1-1 Conferenece

President, Nathan Lee, appeals to state 9-1-1 telecommunicators to establish a uniform training and certification standard

ENGLEWOOD, FL (April 24, 2012) – The annual state conference of the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatchers Association (NHEDA), voted unanimously to adopt a uniform standard of training for all state 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers. The vote was taken after Denise Amber Lee Foundation President, Nathan Lee, spoke about the tragic story of his wife’s abduction and eventual murder due to mistakes made in his local 9-1-1 center the evening of January 17th, 2008. NHEDA President, Paul Bagley, said, “Thanks to Nathan’s presentation we passed the voluntary certification and training standard on a unanimous voice vote! I cannot begin to thank you enough for attending our opening breakfast and speaking to our organization this year. Prior to you speaking I was the lone voice in New Hampshire concerning the immediate need for training and certification standards for emergency dispatchers. Now I have the support within my organization to start moving forward. Others now see what you and I see.

Your remarks brought tears to literally every person in the room. Even the hotel staff members present were in awe of your family’s ordeal. But more important than the story came the understanding of the need for more in-depth training toward an industry standard. I’m particularly glad you sited the amount of training required to hold a New Hampshire hairdressing or aesthetician license, since both of these life-saving occupations require a level of scrutiny that far exceeds that of the public’s only link to life-saving emergency services. It is a point that will be made even more loudly in the halls of the State House.”

About the Denise Amber Lee Foundation

The mission of the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, is to promote and support public safety through uniform training, standardized protocols, defined measurable outcomes and technological advances in the 9-1-1 system. Established in June 2008, in response to the murder of Denise Amber Lee, the foundation seeks to use the emotional power of this senseless tragedy to promote and encourage the use of technology, training, and procedures to reduce the occurrences of human error. The foundation is determined to channel and focus the public outrage of these tragic events to drive rapid change to public policy and procedures. For more information, please visit www.deniseamberlee.org.

About the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatchers Association (NHEDA)

Founded in 1990 as an organization that would provide free or low-cost training for dispatchers in the absence of any training being provided by the government agencies. Each year NHEDA provides hundreds of hours of free training. Meetings with training classes are held at a different location across the state each month. NHEDA also holds an annual one-day supervisor’s conference in October, an academy each spring that includes forty-eight hours of in-depth training, and a three-day training conference in conjunction with its annual meeting that has 33 different workshops covering roughly 40 hours. In addition, the conference offers guest speakers, such as Nathan, who have an important message concerning our profession. For more information, go to www.nheda.org.

Cassidian Communications Announces Expansion of P25 Land Mobile Radio Network for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

CORP25 LMR network provides mission critical communication for entire RCMP “O” Division in Ontario, Canada
CORP25 network expansion foundation for new Central Region Operation Communication System
Gatineau, Quebec, April 23, 2012¾Cassidian Communications, an EADS company, today announced that it has received a contract amendment to expand its existing digital, trunked P25 Land Mobile Radio (LMR) network for public safety communications with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the province of Ontario, Canada.The existing CORP25 system, which was the first installation in the RCMP’s new Central Region Operation Communication System, was initially deployed in 2010 across a 360-kilometer corridor to successfully support the G8 and G20 Summits in Ontario, Canada. This next phase of the planned roll-out provides full coverage for RCMP members engaged in security, protection and law enforcement in the “O” Division.The CORP25 system is the industry’s only true non-proprietary P25 solution. One hundred percent standards-compliant, the interoperable CORP25 solution supports multi-vendor deployments—a requirement of the RCMP at the onset of the project. Multi-vendor systems allow a customer to combine the CORP25 infrastructure with best-in-class radios, consoles and other vendor components to deploy a world-class solution that meets the needs of its users at the lowest cost of ownership.“We are pleased to be awarded this expansion contract with the RCMP,” said Francois Begaud, chief operating officer for the Cassidian Communications land mobile radio business. “It is a further testament to our experience and expertise in digital, trunked LMR technology. We will continue to provide flexible, non-proprietary radio solutions that enable competitive procurements and offer the highest quality at the best price.”About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Cassidian Communications is headquartered in Temecula, California, with additional facilities in Frisco, Texas, Franklin, Tennessee, and Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.About CASSIDIAN (www.cassidian.com)Cassidian, an EADS company, is a worldwide leader in global security solutions and systems, providing Lead Systems Integration and value-added products and services to civil and military customers around the globe: air systems (aircraft and unmanned aerial systems), land, naval and joint systems, intelligence and surveillance, cyber security, secure communications, test systems, missiles, services and support solutions. In 2010, Cassidian – with around 28,000 employees – achieved revenues of € 5.9 billion. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2010, the Group – comprising the Divisions Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 45.8 billion and employed a workforce of more than 121.000.Gatineau, Quebec, April 23, 2012¾Cassidian Communications, an EADS company, today announced that it has received a contract amendment to expand its existing digital, trunked P25 Land Mobile Radio (LMR) network for public safety communications with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the province of Ontario, Canada.The existing CORP25 system, which was the first installation in the RCMP’s new Central Region Operation Communication System, was initially deployed in 2010 across a 360-kilometer corridor to successfully support the G8 and G20 Summits in Ontario, Canada. This next phase of the planned roll-out provides full coverage for RCMP members engaged in security, protection and law enforcement in the “O” Division.The CORP25 system is the industry’s only true non-proprietary P25 solution. One hundred percent standards-compliant, the interoperable CORP25 solution supports multi-vendor deployments—a requirement of the RCMP at the onset of the project. Multi-vendor systems allow a customer to combine the CORP25 infrastructure with best-in-class radios, consoles and other vendor components to deploy a world-class solution that meets the needs of its users at the lowest cost of ownership.
“We are pleased to be awarded this expansion contract with the RCMP,” said Francois Begaud, chief operating officer for the Cassidian Communications land mobile radio business. “It is a further testament to our experience and expertise in digital, trunked LMR technology. We will continue to provide flexible, non-proprietary radio solutions that enable competitive procurements and offer the highest quality at the best price.”

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Cassidian Communications is headquartered in Temecula, California, with additional facilities in Frisco, Texas, Franklin, Tennessee, and Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.

About CASSIDIAN (www.cassidian.com)

Cassidian, an EADS company, is a worldwide leader in global security solutions and systems, providing Lead Systems Integration and value-added products and services to civil and military customers around the globe: air systems (aircraft and unmanned aerial systems), land, naval and joint systems, intelligence and surveillance, cyber security, secure communications, test systems, missiles, services and support solutions. In 2010, Cassidian – with around 28,000 employees – achieved revenues of € 5.9 billion. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2010, the Group – comprising the Divisions Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 45.8 billion and employed a workforce of more than 121.000.

TruePosition and Ovum Report on New Research about Locating Wireless 9-1-1 Calls Indoors

New White Paper Offers Conclusive Research on the Major Location Technologies Used to Locate Indoor 9-1-1 Calls

Berwyn, PA, April 19, 2012 – TruePosition, a provider of wireless location technologies and solutions and a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and industry analyst firm Ovum today announced a new white paper that details the importance of locating indoor 9-1-1 phone calls, which are made from cell phones. Authored by Ovum analysts Jeremy Green and Sara Kaufman, the paper provides a history of Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Enhanced 9-1-1 mandates, reviews the two main wireless location technologies used to locate wireless 9-1-1 calls, and examines some of the misconceptions surrounding these location technologies. The white paper also includes a study on results from an extensive 9-1-1 test project.

“The test results show that certain wireless location technologies have limited performance when attempting to locate a 9-1-1 call made from inside of a building,” said Jeremy Green, Principal Analyst for Ovum. “This seems rather alarming, because there are millions of wireless 9-1-1 calls that are made indoors every year.”

According to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), an estimated 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 in the U.S. each year. In addition, according to the FCC, it is estimated that about 70 percent of 9-1-1 calls are placed from wireless phones, and that percentage is growing. Because of this, later in 2012, the FCC may rule on the way that it measures the performance of the wireless location technologies that are used to locate 9-1-1 calls. Part of the proposed FCC rules includes the ability to accurately locate calls that are made indoors.

The Ovum-authored white paper reviews the significance of an upcoming FCC ruling on indoor 9-1-1 location. Additionally, it offers an in-depth overview of previous 9-1-1 mandates, the last of which was voted on in July 2011. In an effort to further educate readers, the report describes the two main wireless location technologies – Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) and Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (U-TDOA) – and addresses some misconceptions about their performance. The white paper also reveals test results from testing conducted in Wilmington, Delaware, where both wireless location technologies were used to locate wireless 9-1-1 calls.

“As people continue to stop their fixed-line phone service, and solely use their cell phone as their primary means of communication, the number of people who use their cell phone to dial 9-1-1 will continue to rise at an astounding rate,” stated Michael Amarosa, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for TruePosition. “The good news is there are wireless location solutions, which exist today that can quickly and accurately locate cell phones regardless of whether the person is indoors, inside of a car, or deep within a city, surrounded by skyscrapers.”

The white paper, entitled “The Importance of Locating Wireless 9-1-1 Calls Indoors,” will become available online immediately following an educational webinar of the same name, which will take place on April 19, 2012 at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. One can register for the webinar, by using the following URL: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/NENA/84644/reg.asp?ref=NENA.

Hosted by NENA, the webinar features a panel of expert spokespeople, including the following: Trey Forgety, the Government Affairs Director for NENA, Sara Kaufman, a Telecommunications Analyst for Ovum, and Rash Mia, the Vice President of Technology and Chief Scientist for TruePosition.

Spillman software to help Plainsboro PD boost efficiency, improve officer safety

Customer referrals, need for a comprehensive solution led agency to select Spillman

Plainsboro, NJ – April 17, 2012 – The Plainsboro Police Department will use new software from Spillman Technologies to target resources and improve officers’ mobile access to critical information.

Plainsboro Police Chief Guy Armour said that one of the biggest challenges his agency faces is measuring efficiency and productivity.

With Spillman, he said, the Plainsboro Police Department will be able to identify problem areas and find ways to better serve the 24,000-resident community. Using Spillman’s CompStat Dashboard module, the agency can conveniently view increases or decreases in crime, quality-of-life incidents, traffic, and accident rates. The Pin Mapping module will allow them to plot incidents on an electronic map and identify patterns or problem areas where additional patrols are needed.

“We want to improve efficiency across the board and leverage [Spillman] technology to see what we are doing well and what we can do better,” Armour said.

The agency will also utilize Spillman’s Mobile AVL and Quickest Route modules to provide officers with the fastest possible directions to a call and track the location of police units on an electronic map.

“Knowing where our officers are at all times will help us keep them safe,” Armour said.

Officers will also be able to retrieve details about past calls and law incidents associated with an address or person, alerting them to potentially dangerous situations.

“When officers arrive at a location, they will be able to get an update on what has previously happened there,” said Patrol Lt. Joseph Duffy. “This knowledge will help officers be better prepared to handle the situation.”

The agency selected Spillman after an extensive, two-year evaluation of multiple software vendors. Armour said Plainsboro personnel were impressed that other New Jersey agencies were still pleased with their Spillman software, decades after purchasing.

“We found that [their Spillman software] still works and it is still valuable to them,” Armour said in regards to a visit to the East Windsor Police Department, a Spillman customer since 1992.

The agency was also impressed by Spillman’s 100-percent implementation success rate and software training options, Duffy said.

“We’ve bought expensive and sophisticated software before, but we’ve never really been able to use them to the capacity that we wanted,” he said. “Because of the emphasis that Spillman puts on training, we will be able to actually use this product to a greater extent than we have with other software programs.”

When the Plainsboro Police Department goes live with its system in October, it will be among 50 agencies in New Jersey and more than 1,000 agencies around the country using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

TeleCommunication Systems Selected by Public Broadcasting Service for Key Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) Technology

ANNAPOLIS, MD and ARLINGTON, VA – April 16, 2012 – TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) today announced that PBS has chosen the TCS CMAS gateway product to enable Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) communications through PBS broadcast technology. The PBS Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) system delivers CMAS emergency messages via free, over-the-air digital TV signals broadcast by PBS Member Stations and other Non-Commercial Licensees who receive the PBS Satellite Feed. This technology serves as a redundant pathway for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s CMAS emergency notifications. The system also provides carriers with a reliable and cost-effective method for connecting to FEMA and ensures mobile subscribers stay informed during times of emergency.

Established by the WARN Act in 2006, CMAS is a voluntary national emergency alert system, designed to deliver critical messages to the public, including presidential emergency alerts, AMBER Alerts, and warnings of imminent national and local threats to life and property, such as natural and man-made disasters. The PBS WARN system adds protection against cyber attacks and immunity from Internet disruptions.

“TCS has deep knowledge, expertise and experience in the emergency alerting market, including being involved with the creation of the CMAS standards,” said Aaron Silverman, Communications Director of WARN, for PBS. “Working with TCS helps PBS to be an active participant in the effort to aid Commercial Mobile Service Providers (CMSPs) in their efforts to protect and quickly inform the public via a proven emergency alert system.”

As one of the few vendors trusted by national mobile network operators, the U.S. government and public safety officials, TCS provides mission-critical, life-saving technology that is currently deployed and field-tested with national and regional CMSPs. TCS’ hosted CMAS is built on the proven, patented, TCS Voyager™ platform, used today to process nearly 50 percent of all wireless E9-1-1 calls in the United States. TCS’ customized implementation of the PBS WARN system is based on TCS’ CMAS gateway product and is FEMA certified with full compliance to the J-STD-101 “C” interface specification, independently validated and verified by FEMA using the J-STD-102 standard test plan.

“Through their use of CMAS, PBS is providing a valuable service to the public by serving as a redundant gateway for CMAS messages,” said Mark Titus, vice president of carrier software at TCS. “Using TCS’ proven CMAS technology, PBS, as well as CMSPs can be important lifelines for prompt and accurate transmission of FEMA emergency messages.”

Over the past year, TCS’ highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology powered the delivery of nearly a trillion text messages and over 65 million wireless emergency calls. TCS wireless technology also serves U.S. military customers with mission-critical solutions. TCS operates the only non-operator TL 9000-certified network operations centers supporting E9-1-1, and supports next generation emergency, text messaging and location-based solutions. Wireless operators across the United States and abroad use TCS emergency alerting technology. A member of the TIA and ATIS standards bodies, TCS has been actively involved in CMAS-related standards working sessions since January 2008.

About PBS

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans — from every walk of life — the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches 124 million people through television and 20 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook, or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) is a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology. TCS infrastructure forms the foundation for market leading solutions in E9-1-1, text messaging, commercial location and deployable wireless communications. TCS is at the forefront of new mobile cloud computing services providing wireless applications for navigation, hyper-local search, asset tracking, social applications and telematics. Millions of consumers around the world use TCS wireless apps as a fundamental part of their daily lives. Government agencies utilize TCS’ cyber security expertise, professional services, and highly secure deployable satellite solutions for mission-critical communications. Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, TCS maintains technical, service and sales offices around the world. To learn more about emerging and innovative wireless technologies, visit www.telecomsys.com.

Zetron Provides Acom P25 System to U.S. Dept. of Commerce NTIA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences

As part of its commitment to open standards, Zetron is supplying its Acom EVO P25 console system to the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) at Boulder, Colorado. Personnel at ITS will use the system to learn and understand how a console system operates within a P25 network. They will also use it to develop P25-complicance assessment tests. The Acom system will remain at the site through Jan. 30, 2013.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., April 11, 2012 – As part of its ongoing commitment to open standards, Zetron is supplying a two-position Acom EVO Project 25 (P25) console system to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce – National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The system is being used and tested at the NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) at Boulder, Colorado, where it was installed March 27, 2012. Zetron also trained ITS personnel on the system’s operation and maintenance. The system will be connected through the P25 Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) over Ethernet links to live Cassidian and Raytheon infrastructures. It will remain at the site through January 30, 2013.

The project is designed to help ITS personnel gain a thorough understanding of how a console system operates within a P25 network. In addition, personnel trained on the Acom system’s operations will use the system to develop P25-compliance assessment tests.

“This collaboration with the Department of Commerce NTIA demonstrates Zetron’s ongoing commitment to P25 and our active involvement in projects that further the development, understanding, and adoption of P25-compliant technologies,” said Zetron president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara.

About Zetron

For over 30 years, Zetron has been providing mission-critical communications solutions to customers in public safety, transportation, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare and business. With offices in the U.S.A., U.K., Australia and numerous field locations, Zetron supports a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. This gives Zetron a global reach as well as a local presence in the regions it serves. Zetron is a wholly owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. For more information, visit www.zetron.com.

Spillman Technologies announces 1,000th customer

Wisconsin agency becomes the 1,000th public safety agency to purchase Spillman software

Salt Lake City, UT – April 10, 2012 – Spillman Technologies recently welcomed its 1,000th public safety software customer, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin.

Spillman President and CEO Lance Clark said that achieving 1,000 customers is a huge milestone for Spillman.

“We are thrilled to announce our 1,000th Spillman customer,” Clark said. “We believe that this achievement speaks to Spillman’s dedication to pairing innovative public safety products with the best customer service in the industry. Our focus has always been on creating lasting partnerships with our customers, and we’re pleased that our growing customer base reflects that.”

During its nearly three decades in business, the Utah-based company has grown from three employees to more than 200. Spillman has never been merged or sold and has been named one of the nation’s fastest growing private companies for five years running by Inc. magazine.

Founder Richard Spillman created the concept for Spillman Technologies as a college student at Utah State University in 1978. The company released its first public safety software product for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office in 1983 and has exclusively served the public safety industry since.

“When Spillman was founded, I never would have dreamed that the company would eventually serve tens of thousands of people across the nation,” he said. “I’m proud to say that today, Spillman continues to grow and remains committed to providing customers with public safety software they can rely on backed by a stable company they can trust.”

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office purchased Spillman’s CAD, records, mobile, personnel, and corrections solutions on Feb. 27. When it goes live in 2013, the agency will be one of more than 70 customers in Wisconsin using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 65,000 personnel at police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

Cassidian Communications Partners with Industrial Communications & Electronics, Inc., to Upgrade Billings, Mont., 9-1-1 Center
- The most populous county in Montana¾Billings¾now equipped with the NG9-1-1 call processing solution, Sentinel® Patriot®
- New system allows for increased accuracy and faster display of caller information
- Safety of community and first responders were key drivers to upgrade system
TEMECULA, Calif., April 10, 2012—Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, together with service provider, Industrial Communications & Electronics, Inc., recently upgraded the 9-1-1 equipment at the Billings, Mont., City/County 9-1-1 Center. The upgrade includes the Sentinel® Patriot® call processing solution, the Aurora® management information system (MIS) solution and a comprehensive suite of Managed Services from Cassidian Communications.

“When we were faced with replacing our 9-1-1 telephone system, we wanted to select a system with features and functions that would provide continuity of service during our eventual transition into a new facility and meet the future demands of next generation 9-1-1,” said Anne Kindness, communication center manager, Billings City/County 9-1-1 Center. “Public safety communications systems are investments, so while they need to be functional and relevant to current needs, they must also have the capability and flexibility to meet what the future may hold. Cassidian Communications and Industrial Communications and Electronics, Inc. worked with us to provide a forward-looking system that can grow and accommodate the changing face of 9-1-1 services.”

A Cassidian Communications customer since 1999, the eight-position 9-1-1 center is now outfitted with the latest call handling equipment. The call takers are responsible for answering all emergency and administrative calls from within Yellowstone County and dispatching for the City of Billings Police Department, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, the Billings Fire Department, 15 rural fire departments, four ambulance services, the Crash/Fire/Rescue Team at Logan International Airport and various state and federal agencies needing to communicate with local agencies. In 2011, the 9-1-1 center received 58,817 emergency calls and dispatched 242,583 calls for service.

“Not only did Cassidian Communications partner with Billings on upgrading its 9-1-1 center’s existing emergency call handling solution with one that will provide next generation capabilities, the city also recently awarded us a contract for the city’s land mobile radio (LMR) system,” said Mike Pavick, vice president of sales, Cassidian Communications. “I’m pleased to see Billings adopt the future of interoperability within the 9-1-1 industry and move forward with systems to keep its capabilities ahead of the technology curve.”

In August, 2011, Billings awarded Cassidian Communications a contract for its digital, trunked P25 LMR system. The multi-year agreement supplies Billings with a turnkey radio communications solution for public safety, including hardware, software, system engineering, installation and maintenance through 2021.

The Sentinel Patriot solution’s IP architecture, designed expressly for NG9-1-1 applications, is based on current and evolving critical communications technologies and standards. This allows for the sophisticated design of backup, disaster recovery, and overflow operations with the assured ability to provide reliable service under unexpected conditions.

Completing the NG9-1-1 solution suite designed for the Billings City/County 9-1-1 Center is the Aurora MIS for complete call center metrics as well as comprehensive Managed Services for around-the-clock direct and secure connectivity with the Service Management Center, ensuring the integrity and reliability of its solutions.

Cassidian Communications continues to serve clients ranging from public safety operations to Fortune 1000 corporations to federal agencies. Collectively, the company has more than 40 years of experience deploying 9-1-1 call processing solutions, notification solutions and first responder digital trunked radio networks.

About Industrial Communications and Electronics, Inc. (www.icemt.com)

IC&E has been in business over 40 years and is the largest public safety communications company in the state of Montana. IC&E offers a variety of sales & service options including on-site installations, warranty repairs, and 24 hour maintenance support. IC&E prides itself in our customer service and feel this is what separates us from all other emergency communications providers. We continue to re-invest in the latest technology and training to give us the ability to support the communication systems of the future. IC&E prides itself on our market description as the PSAP “one stop shop”.

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Headquartered in Temecula, California.

About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)

EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

Pacific Interpreters Celebrates 20 Years of Improving Language Access

Portland, OR – April 10, 2012 – Pacific Interpreters, Inc., a leading provider of over-the-phone interpreting for healthcare, business, and government markets, today celebrates 20 years of providing high-quality language access services to eliminate communication barriers and connect its customers with the individuals they serve.

Mary Rynerson launched Pacific Interpreters in 1992, offering onsite medical interpreting services in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Following industry and technology trends, the company has since expanded its focus from in-person to telephonic interpreting, complemented by document translation and interpreter program consulting services.

According to Mary Rynerson, Company founder, “Pacific Interpreters has always differentiated itself by the quality of its interpreters and the outstanding customer service provided throughout the organization. I am proud of what the Company has accomplished, and am extremely pleased to see its continued focus in these areas.”

With Title VI and Joint Commission standards, medical interpreting has become a critical-path service for healthcare providers. Along with strict standards for hiring and monitoring high-quality, medically-qualified interpreters, and thorough follow-up on Voice of the Customer feedback, Pacific Interpreters has developed innovative solutions in the field. The Company launched its Pediatric Interpreting program in 2007 to address the unique challenges of language access for children, and introduced D-I-A-L™ in 2010, a service that empowers Limited English Proficient individuals to contact a customer with an interpreter already on the line.

During its 20 years of service, Pacific Interpreters has also made significant investments in technology and capacity, including redundant customer service call centers in Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska, and international Spanish interpreting centers. Combined with a nationwide network of active and backup interpreters, these investments enable Pacific Interpreters to provide reliable telephonic interpreting in over 180 languages and dialects, 24/7/365.

In November 2010, Sterling Partners became the principal investor in Pacific Interpreters, providing new resources to continue a history of excellence while supporting significant growth goals. The Company has since introduced its services to a number of new business and government markets, expanded its call center capacity by 50% in Omaha, and strengthened its executive team leadership.

“We’ve invested in the future by equipping the company to meet the needs of our customers for years to come,” says Peter Harris, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Interpreters. “These investments, combined with our constant focus on customer care, are paving the way for language access advancements that will build upon the 20-year foundation laid by Mary Rynerson, David Porter and others.”

About Pacific Interpreters, Inc. Pacific Interpreters, Inc. is a comprehensive language services provider, helping to eliminate language barriers for Limited-English Proficient individuals by offering telephonic interpreting 24/7/365 in over 180 languages, fast and accurate document translation, and expert consulting. Established in 1992, Pacific Interpreters offers specialized language services for healthcare, business, and government markets.

Greenwood Village [Denver], Colo., April 9, 2012.

The week of April 8–14, 2012, has been declared National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the annual seven-day span set aside to honor individuals who handle 9-1-1 calls and then direct the proper emergency responders to resolve those issues. After it was conceived by a single California agency in 1981—the movement achieved formal Congressional approval in the early 1990s—2012 marks the twenty-first year the nation has been given this formal opportunity to recognize them for their contributions to society.

Call takers and dispatchers provide the vital link between callers to 9-1-1 and the emergency responders who ultimately respond to the emergency. These telecommunicators are often called upon to play the role of crisis analyst, negotiator, phone-based emergency medical tech, and more, requiring a calm demeanor in the face of what are often very high-stress incidents. These days, technology is thankfully playing a stronger role and assisting in improving the overall communications experience, from using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and computer-based call-handling to intelligently route 9-1-1 calls to the proper answering points, to more accurately determining a mobile caller’s location via the Global Positioning System and other methodologies.

microDATA is pleased to join its colleagues, suppliers and network partners in extending our admiration and appreciation to the many sacrifices and split-second decisions 9-1-1 telecommunicators across the nation make every day, thereby providing Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS and other public safety services to benefit the general welfare of their respective communities.

Thank you for all that you do!

Provo Police Department will use Spillman to share data with 20 Utah County agencies

System will enable agency to identify crime trends, access critical call information from the field

Provo, UT – April 3, 2012 – The Provo Police Department has joined a shared software system from Spillman Technologies, allowing them to exchange law records, images, and other data with 20 Utah County agencies.

“Transitioning to Spillman will provide the Provo Police Department the opportunity to be connected to all Utah County agencies for record management and sharing of critical information. This will enhance officer safety and crime-solving efforts,” said Provo Police Chief Rick Gregory.

Sharing data between jurisdictions will allow the Provo Police Department to pinpoint crime trends and identify criminals as they move from city to city. For example, officers can use the Spillman system to see if a person they arrest within Provo city limits has a criminal record in other Utah County jurisdictions.

“Data sharing is important because criminals don’t just live in our city alone – criminals move around,” Siufanua said. “That’s why it is so important that we can look beyond just Provo, so that we can catch trends out there that we are not currently seeing.”

Provo Police Department will utilize Spillman’s CompStat Dashboard module to proactively examine crime trends and patterns using information in the database. This information can be delivered to police department personnel in an easily analyzed format to support decision-based policing and improve long-term public safety. Using the Pin Mapping module, the Provo Police Department can plot data on an electronic map, allowing them to see the spatial relationship between incidents and suspects.

“Our goal is to be able to achieve real-time crime reporting, which is critical to being able to identify problems and crime trends and rapidly respond to them,” Gregory said. “This system will also modernize our records management and performance measurement process, bringing us in line with established law enforcement best practices.”

Officers will also be able to quickly access call information and view the locations of other personnel on a digital map using Spillman’s Mobile solution. The software enables officers to communicate securely and in real time with dispatchers without using radio frequencies. Using the Mobile AVL Mapping module, officers can see which units are nearby if backup is needed.

When Provo Police Department goes live with its Spillman software, it will be among 102 agencies in Utah and more than 1,000 agencies around the country using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

City of Dallas Retains Cassidian Communications as Emergency Notification Provider, Rolls out New GeoCast® Web™ Solution
- Third largest city in Texas and ninth largest in U.S. deploys new emergency notification system, helping to keep people in Dallas safe and informed in public safety situations
- Area residents and businesses now urged to register cell and VoIP numbers online at www.dallascityhall.com/oem or https://cityofdallas.onthealert.com to receive alerts
FRANKLIN, Tenn., April 2, 2012 – Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, today announced the successful rollout of its GeoCast® Web™ notification solution by City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in Texas. More than 60 days since implementation began, officials say the new system is functioning as anticipated and are urging area residents to register for multimodal alerts concerning localized flooding, wildfires, hazardous materials incidents and other potentially harmful situations.

“Ensuring timely and adequate warning to the public during times of potential or imminent danger is one of the more important jobs we have as emergency managers,” said Kenny Shaw, director of City of Dallas OEM. “We are always looking for ways to improve risk communications to Dallas residents and businesses, and the GeoCast Web system provides us with enhanced warning capability in an efficient, reputable and effective manner.”

Serving more than 1.3 million people, City of Dallas OEM coordinates the activities of volunteer, public and private agencies in all phases of emergency management. Using the GeoCast Web solution, officials can geospatially alert area homes and businesses in situations impacting public safety. The application, which replaces the previous REVERSE 911® notification system, also from Cassidian Communications, combines highly advanced digital mapping technologies with phone databases to contact people in precisely targeted locations via phone and email.

All published and unpublished landline phone numbers within city limits already are included in the solution’s database; cell and VoIP phones are not. Residents, business owners, commuters and others may register for system-issued notifications via the OEM’s website, or directly through a self-registration portal. People without Internet access can get hard-copy registration forms at city libraries, city park and recreation facilities, and city police and fire stations.

“Even though we have the new GeoCast Web emergency notification solution, we still want to remind everyone that no single tool will provide enough warning to all people in all situations,” added Shaw. “While the new system may give emergency officials greater capabilities, it is only one component of the overall public safety communications strategy. During emergencies, people should always seek out information from as many reliable sources as possible.”

To support communications with emergency responders, community volunteers and other groups, City of Dallas OEM is utilizing Cassidian Communications The Communicator!® NXT™ solution. This industry-renowned application automates the operation’s list-based notifications, helping mobilize personnel when needed.

Both The Communicator! NXT and GeoCast Web solutions are fully redundant SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms, residing in state-of-the-art, geo-diverse hosting facilities. OEM officials have secure access to data, maps and infrastructure, and can easily activate notifications if and when necessary. Both solutions are backed by 24/7 technical support.

Also used by City of Dallas OEM since 2001 are the Cassidian Communications VESTA® call processing solution, the MagIC™ management information system and the ORION™ MapStar™ mapping solution. Together, these applications enable fast and efficient handling of 9-1-1 and administrative calls by the operation’s 97 call taking positions, helping support public safety measures throughout the city’s 385.8 square miles.

“With The Communicator! NXT and the VESTA solutions, City of Dallas OEM has the widest range of tools available to improve public safety and enhance regional response times,” said Bob Freinberg, CEO of Cassidian Communications. “Our mission is to advance public safety communications and thereby positively impact the safety, well-being and quality of life for Dallas residents and all its neighbors for years to come.”

Cassidian Communications continues to serve clients ranging from public safety operations to Fortune 1000 corporations to federal agencies. Collectively, the company has more than 40 years of experience deploying 9-1-1 call processing applications, notification solutions and services, and first responder digital trunked radio networks.

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services, and P25 land mobile radio systems. The company is headquartered in Temecula, California.

NG9-1-1 Institute Celebrates April As National 9-1-1 Education Month Encourages Nationwide Campaign And Website

Washington, D.C. – The NG9-1-1 Institute, as part of the National 9-1-1 Education Coalition is calling upon local leaders, public safety officials and elected officials to promote 9-1-1 education in communities around the country. The month of April was first recognized by the U.S. Congress in 2008 as National 9-1-1 Education Month in support of the National 9-1-1 Education Coalition, an alliance of 8 national organizations dedicated to advancing public safety communications who joined together to advance 9-1-1 education across the country. The group is urging local events such as school outreach, street fairs featuring first responders and their equipment, and distribution of 9-1-1 educational materials throughout the month of April.

Last year, the Coalition announced the creation of www.know911.org, a website dedicated to 9-1-1 education. The site contains many free resources that can be used to promote education, awareness and outreach efforts at a local level. This year, new resources have been added to support local community efforts to execute their own 9-1-1 education outreach efforts.

Angel Arocho, Chairman of the NG9-1-1 Institute said, “9-1-1 Does Save Lives! Education should not only occur during National Education Month but throughout the entire year. This year, efforts will be placed on LOCATION: Help 9-1-1 Help You-Give Us Your Location. We encourage you to understand how 9-1-1 can help you and teach others to understand the critical things they should know when you call 9-1-1.”

The National 9-1-1 Education Coalition members each adopted resolutions in April of 2008 proclaiming APRIL as National 9-1-1 Education Month. Each year, the coalition encourages groups, clubs and organizations to put special emphasis on 9-1-1 education. The organizations of the Coalition include the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO); CTIA – The Wireless Association®; the Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies (iCERT), the NG9-1-1 Institute; the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED); the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA); the National Emergency Number Association (NENA); and 9-1-1 For Kids®.

Mississippi state-wide network approves Tait P25 radios

30 March, 2012, Houston, Texas, USA — Public safety and state government agencies operating on the Mississippi Wireless Information Network (MSWIN) can now benefit from genuine open-standards P25 digital technology with the addition of Tait Communications to the list of certified providers.

The approval will allow state agencies on the P25 trunked MSWIN network to incorporate Tait 9100-series digital portable and mobile radios into their fleets with the assurance of proven interoperability provided by the P25 standard.

“Network operators and users leveraging open-standards communications are now able to reap the benefits of greater choice,” says Steve Cragg, President, Tait Communications, Americas.

“Operators once concerned about being locked into a single vendor’s portfolio are now free to select from a wider range of manufacturers while achieving genuine interoperability, spectral efficiency and better value through multi-vendor solutions.”

About 9,100 users currently subscribe to the MSWIN network, including the Mississippi National Guard, Highway Safety Patrol, Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, and a number of other public safety and state government agencies.

Tait, a long-time advocate of open-standards communications, was one of the inaugural land mobile radio manufacturers to participate in the P25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP)—a voluntary program that allows P25 equipment suppliers to formally demonstrate that products meet stringent P25 standards for interoperability. Tait operates a P25 CAP laboratory recognized by the U.S. Federal Government from its Americas headquarters in Houston, Texas.

“Tait is delighted to now be a certified provider to the MSWIN network and its users, and we look forward to working closely with Mississippi public safety agencies to provide high-quality, competitively priced infrastructure, terminals, applications and service solutions,” concludes Steve.

Tait is a sponsor of the upcoming APCO-MS Chapter Annual Conference in Philadelphia, MS, April 1-4; visitors will be able to learn more about Tait certified P25 radios. Richard Natali, P25 expert, will be speaking at the conference on genuine P25 interoperability and the Compliance Assessment Program.

About Tait Communications

Tait Communications is a global leader in designing, delivering and managing innovative communications solutions that help utilities and public safety organizations to keep the lights on and communities safe.

Radio communications is at the heart of our business. We provide world-class turnkey solutions for challenging environments from the Gobi Desert to South American jungles, from highly populated cities to vast rural communities.

Every day, in over 150 countries and supported by an extensive network of global facilities, thousands of customers benefit from the Tait way of working: commitment to listen, courage to act and integrity to deliver what’s promised.

Cassidian Communications Awarded Contract by Downriver Community Conference for P25 Land Mobile Radio System

FRISCO, Texas, March 29, 2012¾Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, announced today that it has finalized an agreement with Downriver Community Conference on behalf of Downriver Mutual Aid (DMA), a consortium of 16 municipalities in lower Wayne County, Mich., to provide a digital, trunked P25 Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system for public safety communications. The new 800 MHz simulcast CORP25 radio network is expected to be fully deployed by the end of 2012, and will provide mission critical communications for police, fire and emergency rescue responders from each of the DMA communities. The multi-year contract includes hardware, software, system engineering, installation and maintenance through 2022.

Selected to replace the DMA’s existing analog system, the standards-based CORP25 network will interoperate with the state-owned Michigan’s Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) network, as well as enable efficient network management and lower operational costs.

“We were looking for a solution that would meet our present and future needs, as well as work seamlessly with the state’s public safety communications system,” said Kim Donahey, Chief Financial Director, Downriver Community Conference (DCC). “The Cassidian Communications CORP25 solution is just that—a flexible, modern communications system that supports true interoperability and offers both operational and economical advantages. This allows us to remain financially independent and maintain control over our own network, while taking us to the next level of public safety communications.”

The industry’s only true non-proprietary P25 solution, the CORP25 system has an open design that allows agencies to select radios and other network components from a variety of different vendors. This flexible approach enables competitive purchasing and lets customers build their networks with the best equipment for the best price, ultimately lowering the total cost of network ownership. The IP-based CORP25 radio solution also enables cost-effective migration to future applications and services.

“We are excited to bring this state-of-the-art, best-value, P25 radio solution to the DMA communities and taxpayers,” said Bob Freinberg, Chief Executive Officer, Cassidian Communications. “We definitely understand the performance and financial requirements of today’s public safety environments, and we take great pride in the fact that we have the technology, flexibility, innovation and expertise to deliver exactly what is needed to Downriver. We are confident that our fully open CORP25 network will provide the operational and economic freedom that DMA requires, while ensuring that all emergency responders have the most efficient and reliable communications they need to keep the communities of Downriver safe.”

Currently, the DMA communities also utilize the Cassidian Communications Sentinel® Patriot® call processing solution in their 9-1-1 call centers. Based on critical communications standards, the Sentinel Patriot solution is designed expressly for next generation 9-1-1 applications.

About Downriver Mutual Aid (http://www.dccwf.org/dma.php)

The Downriver Mutual Aid (DMA) 911 District is a consortium of sixteen (16) communities in lower Wayne County whose primary purpose is for shared resources. The DMA 911 District communities consist of the following: Allen Park, Brownstown, Ecorse, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge, Riverview, Rockwood, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Woodhaven and Wyandotte.

About Downriver Community Conference (www.dccwf.org)

The Downriver Community Conference (DCC) was formed in 1977 as a regional partnership and a common voice for Downriver communities. The DCC provides leadership in establishing common, positive goals and strategies to develop the human, social and economic assets of the Downriver area; enhance the quality of life for area residents, workers and businesses; shape public policy at federal, state, regional, county and local levels; and identify, obtain and responsibly manage the necessary financial resources to successfully implement this vision.

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-based NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Headquartered in Temecula, California.

About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)

EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

Catalyst Awarded DHS LMR Contract

Five Year Ordering Period for DHS, DOI, DOJ, DOS & WHCA Agencies

March 28, 2012 – FOREST, Va. — Catalyst Communications Technologies, Inc. (Catalyst) announced today it was awarded a prime contract by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide various types of Radio Dispatch Console equipment in support of Federal Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems. The multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) ordering period will be five years — a two-year base period plus three one-year option periods. The total potential contract value is not to exceed $3 billion if all task orders and all options are exercised. The contracts are available for ordering to DHS and its components, as well as for DHS partner agencies and their subordinate components, including the White House Communications Agency, Department of Interior, Department of State, and Department of Justice.

Catalyst is a leading provider of IP based Dispatch Console and Interoperability solutions, with systems currently in service at various federal agencies including the DOI, DOJ and DOD as well as Public Safety, Utility, and other critical communications agencies. Under this contract, Catalyst will provide a wide range of Dispatch Systems under Technical Category 2 (TC2) Infrastructure that may include hardware, software, systems engineering, installation, and program management services as required per delivery order. Catalyst is one of a limited number of companies awarded the IDIQ contract to support the DHS and its Components in the purchasing of a full array of tactical communications (TacCom) products, infrastructure and services. The DHS multi-vendor approach is to help accelerate the implementation of fully interoperable LMR solutions in support of mission critical, public safety communications. Catalyst is a pioneer and leader in the deployment of LMR Interoperability solutions including its IP LinkTM and IntelliLinkTM products.

Catalyst president Robin Grier remarked, “U.S. federal agencies have been key partners to Catalyst over the last fifteen years as together we have deployed leading edge Radio over IP solutions for dispatch and interoperability. We are pleased that this IDIQ contract will simplify the ordering process for our existing federal partners, and we welcome the opportunity to serve additional agencies through it.” The company has successfully completed two U.S. Department of Agriculture Phase 1 and Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Awards focusing on interoperability and Project 25.

Catalyst IP|ConsoleTM

Catalyst Communications Technologies, Inc. markets Radio Control over IP technology for the Land Mobile Radio Industry and is a force for change in the effort to bring Internet-derived technologies into mobile radio applications. Catalyst focuses on products that leverage standard Windows®-based computers to reduce cost and increase the efficiency of network operators and end users. Catalyst’s extensive product line significantly enhances legacy dispatch communications systems by seamlessly bridging wireless and wireline communications networks for network-based interoperability.

Valley Shore 911 Named Total Response Accredited Center

MADISON, CT – On March 21, 2012, PowerPhone, Inc. recognized Valley Shore 911 in Westbrook, Conn., as a Total Response Accredited Center.

This important designation serves as a mark of excellence in the emergency communications industry. Valley Shore 911 undertook a dynamic process to identify best practices and promote high quality performance measures. Through this process they have validated their commitment to quality and accountability in emergency call handling.

“We are extremely happy to have achieved this distinction,” said Richard Darin, Executive Director of Valley Shore 911. “The expectations of the dispatcher and call center have grown tremendously over the years, and we have strived to be pro-active in our management and advancement of call handling technologies. Accreditation will only help to further show our commitment to high standards, to overcoming challenges, and to being there for our community.”

Upon adoption of and training in PowerPhone’s Total Response emergency medical dispatch protocols, Valley Shore 911 committed to a formal accreditation process as part of their ongoing adherence to providing the highest standard of care in the industry.

They began with a self-evaluation of their center’s call handling and dispatch function to help establish benchmarks against which future operations could be compared. With the help of Cory Friend, PowerPhone’s Quality Assurance Coordinator and public safety veteran, Valley Shore was able to define the quality assurance standards they wanted to meet and an action plan to adhere to these standards.

For the past six months, Valley Shore has had a percentage of the calls they answered randomly reviewed for protocol compliance. They have undertaken rigorous documentation of their goals, policies and procedures, and stakeholder involvement. They have participated in intense quality assurance training in order to obtain the tools and techniques to enhance their strengths, remedy shortcomings, and learn to confront future challenges.

“I am very proud of Valley Shore’s achievement,” said Cory Friend, PowerPhone’s Quality Assurance Coordinator. “They were able to take note of where their standard of care was in relation to where they wanted it to be, and through this process were able to far surpass it.”

Cancún Selects Redline To Wirelessly Connect City-Wide Public Safety System

– Highly secure Redline radios deliver wireless video surveillance for tourist safety –

Toronto, ON – March 22, 2012 – Redline Communications Group Inc. (TSX: RDL) (“Redline”), a leading provider of specialized broadband wireless solutions for industrial machine-to-machine applications (“M2M”), today announced that they have received a contract to expand a wireless video surveillance network in the City of Cancún, México. Redline outdoor broadband wireless equipment will provide M2M connectivity between cameras located throughout the city and the central automated monitoring center.

The City of Cancún was developed with tourism in mind. Drawing over five million tourists a year, visitor safety and well-being is a top priority for local government and to enhance public safety, improve police response time and enable better crime analysis, the City’s existing video surveillance system is being expanded to provide greater coverage. The City required the flexibility to place cameras anywhere they were needed, and in most cases running wires to desired camera locations was not feasible. The City decided upon wireless technology to provide round-the-clock connectivity between the radios and the central monitoring location. They required secure, high-quality, reliable equipment and it was equally important the cameras and wireless devices not be overly visible or intrusive in tourist locations.

After first choosing Redline’s AN-80i radio platform to provide wireless connectivity for the first phase of this project in March 2010, the City of Cancún has once again selected Redline to power the expansion of their video surveillance system, this time with Redline’s RDL-3000 radio platform. Operating in the 4.9 GHz public safety band, Redline radios have the proven security, reliability and capacity to wirelessly connect a large network of video surveillance cameras. Their excellent non-line-of-sight capability, the ability of the equipment to deliver video to a central control center even if the radio antenna signal is blocked by buildings or trees, allowed them to be easily installed virtually anywhere the City needed. It also permitted the use of smaller antennas, which were both unobtrusive and more economical.

“We are extremely satisfied with the performance of Redline’s wireless solution,” said Jerry Elizondo, Telecommunications Sub Director for the Ministry of Public Safety in the City of Cancún. “Thanks to Redline we have a fully operational video surveillance network that isn’t an eyesore for our tourists. This system is helping keep our city safe by giving us eyes on the street.”

“Video surveillance systems like the one in Cancún are very important to public safety, and Cancún clearly takes this responsibility seriously” said Dennis Stipati, Redline’s Vice President of Sales, Americas. “Since our first system was installed in Cancún, over 25 other municipalities have followed suit. We are pleased to see our products working to keep people safe.”

As a result of the Redline’s video surveillance solution, the City of Cancún now has a surveillance system that covers a large area while blending in well with the landscape. With cameras being installed across the entire city, public safety can improve dramatically for Cancún’s citizens and tourists alike.

About Redline Communications

Redline Communications (www.rdlcom.com) the innovator of Virtual Fiber™, a specialized broadband wireless solution used by companies and governments worldwide to cost-effectively deploy distributed services and applications. Redline wireless Virtual Fiber™ solutions are used to facilitate and enhance public safety networks, deploy and extend secure networks, connect digital oil fields and smart grids, and bring dedicated internet access wherever and whenever it’s needed. Redline has been delivering powerful, versatile and reliable wireless systems to governments, the military, oil and gas, and the telecom industry for over a decade through certified partners in the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa.

Nearly 30 New Jersey agencies plan to share data, reduce costs using Spillman

Multi-jurisdictional data sharing software system will be one of the largest in the state

Freehold, N.J. – March 21, 2012 – After a lengthy research and evaluation process, 29 public safety agencies in Monmouth County, N.J., are adopting a shared software system from Spillman Technologies for dispatching, records management, mobile data computing, field reporting, investigations, and much more.

The multi-jurisdictional data sharing system is one of the largest in the state, said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden. It was created as part of a major Monmouth County initiative to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs by consolidating public safety services.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Golden said. “Our vision is that all public safety departments within the county will have the opportunity to share critical information on one massive system, if they choose to participate.”

The sheriff’s office also plans to use Spillman’s computer-aided dispatching software at a state-of-the-art communication center under construction in Freehold. With 50 9-1-1 dispatch positions, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the state and will consolidate dispatch services for agencies throughout Monmouth County.

Purchasing Spillman will enable the agencies to go from using eight different software vendors to one shared Spillman system. By using a single vendor, the agencies will reduce the costs associated with maintaining their own software systems and gain the ability to exchange critical law enforcement data.

“A shared system gives agencies the interoperability they need to meet today’s law enforcement challenges,” said Spillman President and CEO Lance Clark. “Spillman software will enable the agencies to share a wide range of data across jurisdictional lines while helping them decrease the costs associated with operating separate systems.”

The agencies are beginning implementation this month and plan to go live with the Spillman system in October 2012.

The decision to purchase Spillman was made after a committee representing almost all of the participating agencies evaluated multiple public safety software vendors over a two-year period. Public safety software vendors were rated on factors like ease-of-use, vendor stability, multi-jurisdictional data sharing experience, system integration, implementation track record, and searching capabilities, Golden said.

“Spillman scored No. 1,” he said.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 985 police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

Harris Corporation and Miami-Dade County Explore Power of Advanced, Wireless Broadband for First Responders

MELBOURNE, FL/MIAMI, FL, March 20, 2012 – First responders in Miami-Dade County, Florida are on the air with 700 MHz Band 14 LTE and are poised to take advantage of the benefits of next generation wireless broadband technology. The program, one of the first of its kind, demonstrates the potential for real-time access to databases and video for the 35 municipalities of Miami-Dade – putting integrated, mission-specific information into the hands of Miami-Dade County police officers who respond, on average, to roughly 12 million calls each month.

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) is providing the Miami Dade Police Department a pilot program which runs through July 2012 and delivers LTE to vehicular modems installed in department vehicles. Miami-Dade is investigating and testing the possibilities of LTE-enabled public safety communications, with Harris and the department working together to determine the best applications to capitalize on LTE’s capacity and capability.

Harris also is demonstrating the capabilities of its recently-unveiled Next Connect Solution, a technology that allows first responders to maintain seamless, secure connectivity when moving between private and public broadband networks. In conjunction with NetMotion Wireless’ leading Mobility XE technology, the Harris Next Connect Solution meets first responders’ needs for secure mobile access to high-bandwidth data during moments of mission-critical decision making. The MDPD currently uses NetMotion’s Mobility XE technology.

“Miami-Dade is leaping forward to bring our first responders much-needed access to data-rich applications only available through LTE,” said Felix Perez, director, Radio Communications Information Division, Technology Department, Miami-Dade County. “We are pleased with the coverage of this initial system, and the ease with which we’ve integrated our existing applications.

“Importantly, this program brings the potential for advanced capabilities, as well as greater efficiency and effectiveness in the field. With more than 2.4 million citizens to serve, our officers require the enhanced situational awareness that only public safety LTE can deliver,” Perez added.

Nokia Siemens Networks continues to serve as a key LTE technology partner to Harris. For the user and the MDPD, the total Harris LTE solution illustrates potential operational advantages, including:
- Broadband offerings for the delivery of video to and from the field. “Real time” views of traffic stops or tactical operations mean greater efficiencies, visual cross-communication, and ultimately a safer community.
- Applications that improve situational awareness.
- Integration with the existing assets. A solution that would co-exist with LMR/P25 systems provides an
integrated LMR-LTE experience – giving the user access to the feature set of LMR, and the applications of LTE.

“For more than 20 years, we’ve collaborated with Miami-Dade County to bring innovative tools to first responders in the field,” said Chuck Shaughnessy, vice president, LTE Business, Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications. “This program showcases how the Harris LTE Solution brings the benefits of next generation wireless broadband to the U.S. public safety community.”

With this program, MDPD is testing Harris’ Radio Access Network (RAN) infrastructure connected to the Harris Chelmsford, Mass. LTE core. This particular architecture – a local RAN connected to a multi-tenant remote core, is consistent with many agencies’ future LTE needs because it minimizes the cost and time required for deployment within any given geographic area.

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $6 billion of annual revenue and about 17,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

Cullman Co. agencies to use Spillman to improve emergency response

New software will help field personnel access mobile data and respond quickly to calls

Cullman, AL – March 14, 2012 – Three public safety agencies in Cullman County are adopting a new software system from Spillman Technologies that will help them efficiently respond to calls and access critical information from the field.

The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office and the Cullman and Hanceville police departments plan to use Spillman to stretch their limited manpower across the rural, 754-square-mile county, said Cullman County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Max Bartlett.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is responding to calls for service in a timely manner,” Bartlett said. “In law enforcement, time is always of the essence.”

Using Spillman’s Mobile AVL Mapping module, dispatchers will be able to see incidents and law vehicles on an electronic map of the jurisdiction. Dispatchers can use the map to determine which field officer is closest to an incident and assign the call accordingly.

Cullman County Sheriff Mike Rainey said the agency selected Spillman after researching multiple public safety software companies and paying a visit to the Tuscaloosa Police Department, a Spillman customer for more than 17 years.

“We were looking to get the best technology we could,” Rainey said. “We looked at many, many different vendors, but Spillman was the best.”

One of the various features that attracted the agency to Spillman was its mobile solution, Bartlett said. The software will allow field personnel to use laptop computers to access records and images, view call information as it is entered by dispatchers, see the location of units on an electronic map, and determine the fastest route to an incident.

“We were very impressed with the software and what it could do, as far as aiding [personnel] in field work and providing access to different types of databases.”

The sheriff’s office will also use Spillman’s jail software to boost efficiency at the 300-bed Cullman County Correctional Facility. The Jail Management module allows personnel to streamline inmate booking by using name information already entered in the Spillman system by jail personnel and other agencies. Personnel can determine where to house inmates and what type of care they require using customizable risk and medical assessments.

When the Cullman County agencies go live with their Spillman software, they will be among 18 agencies in Alabama and more than 985 agencies around the country using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

Presidio of Monterey Deploys Emergency Management / Force Protection Solution from InterAct™

March 13, 2012

Winston-Salem, NC (March 14, 2012) – InterAct, a leading provider of incident response and emergency management software and solutions, today announced it has successfully deployed a modern Installation Emergency Management (IEM) and Force Protection solution at the Presidio of Monterey (POM). The solution consists of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mapping and Mobile capabilities that modernize a series of previously manual systems. The new system will also provide reporting capabilities consistent with Department of Defense requirements.

The InterAct solution provides a significant upgrade to the Presidio’s emergency management capabilities. The Presidio of Monterey includes the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) and the former Fort Ord complex, which is located across Monterey Bay from the Presidio Annex. This disconnected geography presents a unique challenge to POM first-responders during incident coordination and required a modern solution approach.

Built upon the existing mobility solution used by the POM, InterAct software provides dispatchers and first responders with critical incident data, expanded mapping capabilities, and mobile dispatching functionality that reduces incident response times, enhances officer service capabilities, and increases the speed and productivity of POM Police and Fire personnel.

“InterAct is honored to add the Presidio of Monterey to its growing list of Department of Defense clients,” said Jeff Jones, Vice President, InterAct Federal. “We are proud to play an integral role in this important force protection initiative.”

About InterAct™ Federal

InterAct™ Federal is a leading provider of Force Protection and Incident Management solutions for U.S. Government, Defense, and Security agencies. A division of InterAct™, we build on InterAct’s history of providing innovative public safety solutions to State and Local customers, but focus on the unique needs of the Federal market. Our solutions for anti-terrorism, force protection, and installation security management provide our U.S. Government customers with mission-critical intelligence and situational awareness.

About InterAct™

InterAct is a leading provider of public and private safety software solutions. Our mission is to improve the safety and well-being of people and their communities with the most innovative online technology which connect the right people with the right data at the right time.

For 37 years, InterAct has been providing state-of-the-art, integrated incident response software solutions. In 2011, we delivered a new level of innovation with the industry’s first fully CJIS-compliant and cloud-based online records management system (RMS). This is the first in a series of next generation online solutions InterAct will deliver throughout 2012 as part of the Public Safety Cloud.

The Public Safety Cloud simplifies search and data exchange among public safety agencies, securely giving first responders the actionable information they need at the point of enforcement without the expense and complexity of owning the infrastructure. Data access and exchange are simple and available anytime, anywhere through any computer or smart phone connected to the Internet.

InterAct is dedicated to equipping public and private safety agencies with the modern online tools they need to achieve their mission of protecting lives and property. To learn more about our solutions, please visit us at: http://www.interact911.com

Dispatch Magazine On-Line

news and information about public safety communications

Company News