Global Security Systems and Northrop Grumman are working together to offer a “turnkey” integrated alert system they hope will be deployed by homeland security officials.
The companies said Northrop Grumman will build a national, state and local alert and warning system that uses wireless communications infrastructure and consumer devices. GSS will contribute expertise in local aggregation of emergency messages and its experience in deploying its AlertFM system; that technology would be a component of the national solution being pitched by the firms.
“The combined systems will allow the president, state and local officials, large municipalities, critical infrastructure and emergency management agencies to seamlessly and immediately communicate with first responders as well as citizens via cell phones, PDAs and personal wall-mounted devices in the event of a war, natural disaster, national, regional or local emergency,” the companies said.
“In particular, this collaboration would offer a turnkey solution for the deployment of an Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or other state and local emergency management organizations.”
The companies believe they can offer an alerting framework that spans agencies and levels of government, benefiting from an installed base at emergency operations centers. It would also provide an “on ramp” to involve mobile service providers and device integration labs. AlertFM technology allows alerts to be sent to geographically specific areas; and the FM chip can be inserted into common devices such as cell phones, pagers and smoke detectors.
