At CES, Global Security Systems is detailing its work with Northrop Grumman, saying the companies plan to deploy national, state and local alert and warning systems that use the wireless and non-wireless communications infrastructure as well as consumer devices such as cell phones, music players and GPS devices.
As RW reported in the fall, the companies have been working on a “turnkey” integrated alert system to be deployed by homeland security officials.
They said at this week’s CES convention that the combined systems will integrate message distribution systems and enable emergency managers to warn the public through mobile and consumer electronics devices. In particular, the collaboration addresses requirements of the Department of Homeland Security to deploy an Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, they said.
“Seven years after the 9/11 terror attacks, it is clear that the need to alert first responders and citizens in the event of a disaster via text message, cell phone or other PDA-type devices still exists,” GSS CEO Robert Adams stated in the announcement.
“We, like emergency management officials throughout the country, understand that the most effective way to save lives in the event of a disaster is to quickly alert individual citizens in the widest, easiest way possible. This combined system does exactly that.”