TECO Energy’s Electric and Gas Subsidiaries Throughout Florida Benefit from Coordinated, Streamlined Two-Way Notification Services from MIR3
San Diego, California --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- December 6, 2005 – MIR3™, the technology leader in Intelligent NotificationTM solutions, today announced that Tampa Electric, a subsidiary of TECO Energy, Inc., has contracted with MIR3 to provide Intelligent Notification services. MIR3’s Intelligent Notification solutions and services enable designated individuals to send high-speed emergency communications to and from any device, such as landline, satellite and mobile phones, email, pagers, SMS, PDAs and fax, to individual recipients, groups or organization-wide with the click of a mouse.
Tampa Electric will utilize MIR3’s inAlertCenter to communicate internally with the Utilities’ more than 3,500 employees about weather-related emergencies, disasters and business continuity issues, such as IT-related outages. Designed for ease-of-use, MIR3’s inAlertCenter intuitive interface is simple to manage by non-technical personnel. It allows contact information to be easily updated and managed by anyone.
“The fact that inAlertCenter is extremely easy to use and records the success of calls sent and received was very important to us when choosing a notification system,” said Sue Connell, the Emergency Management Coordinator at Tampa Electric. “With the series of severe hurricanes we’ve had recently, it was imperative that we have a notification system in place in order to quickly communicate between departments and in order to speed hurricane restoration efforts.”
inAlertCenter features call bridging into call centers and conference calls; find/follow recipients based on their device priority and calendar schedule; complete 128-bit SSL security encryption and authentication; recorded voice or text-to-speech options; detailed reporting and metrics to determine the delivery success of outbound notifications and cascading of new notifications by recipients.
Tampa Electric joins a growing list of public sector and private organizations, such as the City of Miami, South Mississippi Electric, ImpactWeather and the Calcasieu Police Jury in Louisiana that already utilize MIR3’s Intelligent Notification for high-priority communications, emergency preparedness, business continuity and disaster recovery purposes.
“Tampa Electric is one of the many organizations that we were able to help prepare for the onslaught of hurricanes they experienced in the Southeast – both this year and last,” said Margi Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Business Development at MIR3. “We are pleased to help Tampa Electric get inAlertCenter up and running quickly with systematic, automated SAP database updates in order to make communicating company-wide before and during emergencies more efficient and much more manageable for its staff.”
About TECO Energy, Inc.
TECO Energy, Inc. (NYSE: TE) is an integrated energy-related holding company with regulated utility businesses, complemented by a family of unregulated businesses. Its principal subsidiary, Tampa Electric Company, is a regulated utility with both electric and gas divisions (Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas System). Other subsidiaries are engaged in waterborne transportation, coal and synthetic fuel production and electric generation and distribution in Guatemala.
Tampa Electric Chooses MIR3 inAlertCenter for Emergency and Business Continuity Communications
Fairfield County Business Alert Launched in City of Stamford
Sets Up Send Word Now For Emergency Notification
Stamford, CT --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- October 28, 2005 - The Business Council of Fairfield County, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Send Word Now, and the City of Stamford, unveiled an emergency notification and alerting system that will assist businesses in their responses to and recovery from an emergency. Known as the Fairfield County Business Alert, the system enables businesses to receive information directly from the City's public safety and private sector officials in the event that an unexpected crisis occurs. "Last month's natural disasters along the Gulf Coast have given us a stark demonstration of the importance of public and private sector cooperation in preparing for and responding to emergencies," said Christopher Bruhl, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Fairfield County.
Involving the business community in disaster preparation and response is critical. With 85% of the critical infrastructure either owned or operated by the private sector, actions of the private sector must mesh with those of the government sector.
"In the event of an emergency, the number one priority for the Business Council's Security and Crisis Management Forum is to be able to communicate directly with the public officials to get timely and relevant information needed to protect employees and minimize business interruption", said Jennifer Kearney, of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Vice-Chair of the Business Council Security and Crisis Management Forum.
The need for a public-private communication network was identified in the City of Stamford Weapons of Mass Destruction Tabletop exercise sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on September 15, 2003. "The City of Stamford and Business Council are taking lessons learned from this exercise and putting them into best practice. We heard this need and have found a great resource in the Fairfield County Business Alert," said William Callion, Stamford's Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.
Using the technology of New York City based Send Word Now, messages can be sent through the Internet, from an e-mail or a live operator. In minutes, registered users will receive a message through multiple phone numbers, e-mail addresses, text messaging devices, and pagers simultaneously. "This is a great tool for business and an example of how the private sector and government can work together," said Michael Sher, Executive Vice President, SWN Communications, Inc.
Next steps in security
Earlier this summer, the City of Stamford, in cooperation with the Business Network of Emergency Resources (BNet) and The Business Council of Fairfield County, launched the Stamford Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS). Businesses can identify and pre-certify key employees whose job functions are considered essential and who need access to a restricted area following an emergency. "This is a tremendous initiative for all businesses," said Peter Picarrillo, Executive Director, Business Network of Emergency Resources, Inc. "The City of Stamford is demonstrating its willingness to work with the business community, first with implementation of the CEAS program and now with the Fairfield County Business Alert."
"We are committed to making Stamford one of the most prepared cities in the nation," said Mayor Dannel Malloy. "An effective communication channel from the City to the business community will ensure that businesses both large and small receive timely information to implement business continuity plans or enhanced security arrangements."
Fairfield County Business Alert Used in National Security Exercise
In April, several members of the Business Council of Fairfield County participated in TOPOFF 3, the congressionally mandated exercise that took place in Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Canada, and the United Kingdom. As part of the TOPOFF 3 exercise, the Fairfield County Business Alert was put through its paces. Private sector participants were linked up and able to communicate with the State Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security throughout the exercise.
For more information about the Fairfield County Business Alert or the Stamford Corporate Emergency Access System, contact Tanya Court, Director of Public Policy and Programs, The Business Council of Fairfield County at 203-705-0668.
DCC, Twisted Pair Solutions Join Forces to Improve First Repsonder Communications
Interoperability Achieved Through New Strategic Partnership
Franklin, Tennessee --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- October 6 , 2005 -DCC (Dialogic Communications Corporation), the global leader in emergency notification technology, and Twisted Pair Solutions, Inc., a Seattle-based developer of interoperable group communications software, have entered a partnership that will dramatically improve communications between first responders nationwide.
DCC’s emergency notification software, Communicator! NXT, rapidly sends time-sensitive information to first responders through various devices (e.g., phone, pager, email, etc.). Twisted Pair’s WAVE™ software application suite utilizes standards-based IP communications to tie any two-way radio, cell phone, landline, IP phone or PC together for true group communications interoperability.
Through this partnership, public safety organizations will use DCC’s technology to alert and mobilize first responders. After being notified, personnel will then utilize Twisted Pair’s software to communicate with one another, regardless of their device or carrier, ultimately helping them better manage the situation-at-hand.
Powered by Microsoft®.NET™ and SQL technologies, Communicator! NXT is a web-based emergency notification solution that automates communications with first responders, personnel and volunteers. It rapidly delivers voice and text messages to available devices and gathers all-important feedback for true, closed-loop communications in times of crisis.
Twisted Pair’s WAVE suite of applications uses open standards, current off the shelf hardware, and the pervasive IP network to enable public safety and defense agencies to communicate using virtually any communications device including any two-way radio (P25, analog, digital, UHF, VHF). First responders use WAVE for critical voice and text communications and dispatch operations.
“Interoperability is critical in any emergency or routine situation. Different organizations and individuals must be able to communicate with one another as needed,” said Shaun Botha, President and CTO of Twisted Pair Solutions. “After DCC’s emergency notification technology is employed to alert personnel, our WAVE solution steps in and enables different groups to communicate with each other utilizing the devices they currently own. By teaming up with DCC, we are significantly improving America’s emergency response capabilities and advancing interoperable communications on all levels of government.”
About Twisted Pair Solutions, Inc.
Twisted Pair Solutions, Inc. designs, develops and markets ground breaking software that enables interoperable group communications. Their WAVE™ software application suite serves an unlimited variety of devices and allows previously incompatible systems to work together seamlessly, including PCs, cellular phones, radio systems, handheld devices and more. Twisted Pair Solutions creates products that improve their customers’ day-to-day communications abilities and also help save businesses, critical infrastructure, property and lives in emergencies. For more information, visit www.twistpair.com.
MIR3 Intelligent Notification Service Enables the Jurupa Community Services District to Alert Thousands of Customers about Drinking Water Precaution
San Diego, California --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- September 27, 2005 -- MIR3™, the technology leader in Intelligent Notification™ (IN®) solutions, today announced that the Jurupa Community Services District in Mira Loma, California, has contracted MIR3’s notification services in order to send more than 14,000 water customers immediate, high-priority notifications about the status of water wells at the District’s water treatment plant.
On July 8, Jurupa faced a serious emergency when they experienced technical problems at its water treatment plant and two of the wells went down. Jurupa had to rely upon a phone message machine and local residents walking door-to- door to deliver fliers that informed water customers about the well issues. The notification of the more than 14,000 customers was a slow and tedious process requiring help from volunteer staff over a two-day period.
Jurupa decided that a more effective method of notifying its water customers was required for high-priority, or emergency situations. After researching available options, Jurupa staff decided that MIR3’s automated, two-way interactive notification system ensured that all customers would receive the notification alerts. Within one day of contacting MIR3, Jurupa was able to successfully send 28,000 notifications to repeat earlier alerts sent via phone and by door-to-door fliers.
“We were very pleased to help Jurupa get critical warnings out to their customers in such a short period of time,” said Margi Schmidt, VP of Business Development at MIR3. “Our Intelligent Notification technology was designed just for this purpose: to quickly enable the delivery of notifications on a massive scale that issue warnings or instructions in the event of a disaster or emergency.”
St. Petersburg Police Department obtains New Emergency Notification System
Alert Software Calls Residents, Notifies First Responders during Hurricanes, Missing Person and other Emergency Situations
St. Petersburg, Florida --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- September 7 , 2005 - The St. Petersburg Police Department has a new ally to help strengthen the city’s emergency response capabilities. Officials today announced they have implemented a powerful alert system that automatically calls residents directly at home during critical situations.
Developed by Tennessee-based DCC (Dialogic Communications Corporation), the Internet-driven emergency notification system will allow the department to pinpoint geographic areas-at-risk during such emergencies as severe weather, missing persons or terrorist threats, and immediately calls residents with information or instruction. The software also will be used to notify and mobilize first responders, including police, fire and EMS.
The new emergency notification system is made up of two solutions from DCC – Communicator! NXT and GeoCast Web. Communicator! NXT serves as the calling engine, rapidly sending voice and text messages to all types of communications devices, including phone, email, pager and fax. The software is powered by Microsoft®.NET™ and SQL technologies and can be accessed by officials from any location via the Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser. GeoCast Web works in tandem with Communicator! NXT by allowing users to select targeted notification areas on digital, street-level maps - ranging from a single city block to an entire county.
When the software is activated, residents will receive a phone message that could contain such important information as hurricane evacuation routes, shelter locations or missing person alerts.
Aside from communicating with local residents, the St. Petersburg Police Department will also use the technology to mobilize first responders in times of crisis. The software will automatically deliver detailed information or instructions regarding the situation-at-hand, and intelligently fill positions until all required teams are assembled.
Avaya Selects DCC as Emergency Notification Provider
Critical Communications Technology to Automatically Distribute Information Should Operations Face Disruption
NASHVILLE, TN --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- August 17 , 2005 - DCC (Dialogic Communication Corporation) today announced that Avaya (NYSE: AV), a global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, has selected the company as its emergency notification provider.
DCC’s web-based notification software, Communicator! NXT, will help Avaya maintain business continuity during critical and routine situations alike by quickly sharing information between their worldwide offices. The technology automatically distributes critical messages to management, employees and other emergency teams and gathers all-important feedback, vital to quick and appropriate response.
The software rapidly distributes voice or text messages using all types of communications devices (e.g. phone, pager, Blackberry). It also captures responses and provides detailed reports for a full audit trail.
About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.
National Weather Service Forecast Office in Fort Worth Deploys Notification System for Emergency Management Agencies
MessageOne’s AlertFind Selected for Critical Communications to First Responders
Austin, TX --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- August 16, 2005 – The National Weather Service’s (NWS) Fort Worth/Dallas forecast office is ready for action with a new emergency notification system that allows the office to quickly and easily notify first responders prior to the issuance of public weather products. Austin-based MessageOne, Inc. announced its AlertFind system is now in operation at the NWS office. The NWS forecast office provides forecasts and warnings for 46 counties with an estimated seven million residents in this weather hotbed. The NWS is the official voice of the United States for issuing warnings during life-threatening weather situations.
Evaluation of Notification Systems
The Fort Worth/Dallas forecast office began its search for an emergency notification system late last year when the staff realized its emergency management partners had a wide variety of methods for receiving notifications from the NWS. The emergency managers benefit from an early “heads-up” prior to the official public warning. The mission-critical information provides them time to deploy their storm spotter groups, activate their emergency operations centers, and prepare to handle incoming calls from the public.
Gary Woodall, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the forecast office, began the effort to revamp the office’s pre-notification system. “We needed a solution that would be easy to learn and use, and one that would not require extensive resources to manage,” explained Woodall. “Likewise, our emergency management and storm spotter partners wanted a system that would be compatible with their existing technology, be it alphanumeric pagers, conventional e-mail, PDAs, or voice telephone lines.”
Pre-Alert System Adopted for Regular Use
After several months of an evaluation phase with key emergency team members in the system, the NWS office has moved into regular usage with first responders in North Texas who have the equipment to receive the text messages. Several members of the NWS staff issue the notification messages when necessary and they can do so from any computer or phone in the operations area. Within minutes, a pre-notification message can be sent to all or any subset of the network simultaneously.
The NWS office and their emergency management partners are doing everything they can to prepare in advance for the late summer/early fall weather season that in this part of the country is well known for tornados, floods, and severe weather systems.
Emergency Notification Technology Helps Jacksonville Brace for Hurricane Season
Advanced Communications Software to Call Residents at Home, Mobilize First Responders, Protect Community
Jacksonville, FL --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- July 27 , 2005 - With the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season well underway, several Jacksonville area public safety operations are preparing for future storms by using an innovative emergency notification system to warn residents in harm’s way and mobilize first responders.
How is emergency notification technology being used in Jacksonville?
• Evacuate Residents
• Share Shelter Information
• Provide Hotline Numbers
• Update Community on Ongoing Clean-Up Efforts
• Notify Residents of Water/Ice Distribution Points
• Mobilize First Responders &
If activated in the event of an emergency, residents will receive a computer-generated phone message that could contain such important information as evacuation routes, shelter locations and/or hotline numbers.
Aside from communicating with residents, emergency notification technology is also used to mobilize first responders, EMS professionals and volunteers. The software can automatically contact these individuals using all available communications devices (e.g., phone, pager, cell, email, etc.), and intelligently fill positions until the required teams are assembled.
“Hurricane preparation and response takes a team effort,” continued Kirby. “That’s why emergency notification technology is invaluable. It provides the true heroes – first responders, law enforcement, public safety professionals and volunteers – with the information they need to do what they do best.”
Many of the counties equipped with the technology also use it to help with clean-up and recovery long after the storms have passed. For example, in 2004, volunteer groups across the state received instructional information, such as where to report for work and what areas needed additional manpower. At the same time, residents received information on water and ice distribution points, as well as messages detailing their community’s ongoing clean-up plan.
Pfizer Taps Send Word Now to Keep Employees Informed and Safe
Employees Instantly Alerted During Two Recent Natural Disasters
New York, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- April 12, 2005 - Send Word Now, an emergency notification service has welcomed Pfizer Inc. to its family of customers and is now on call 24/7 to help employees of the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company stay informed and keep connected, especially during emergencies.
Send Word Now services enable Pfizer, along with other Fortune 1000 companies and large government agencies, to send a single message to hundreds or thousands of employees globally, reaching voice and text devices in minutes. Send Word Now reach employees where they choose to be reached, through cell phones, work phones, home phones, e-mail, pagers, PDAs, and text messaging devices.
Using Send Word Now's notification services, key management at Pfizer can verify that an employee is safe or perhaps needs help during an emergency. Pfizer recently used Send Word Now during two major natural disasters: to arrange an emergency executive conference in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami; and to cancel an employee meeting during last year's Florida hurricane season.
Michael Dee, manager of the Pfizer Global Security Operations Center uses Send Word Now as key component of a system that tracks intelligence about the security of the company's physical assets and the safety of its employees. "As soon as our global security team learned of the tsunami, we used Send Word Now to reach our senior team around the world and arranged a conference call within 15 minutes to devise a crisis plan," said Dee. "We sent voice and text messages to all their designated communication devices and received and reviewed responses in real time."
Pfizer also used the Send Word Now service to alert 150 employees scheduled to travel to an internal security conference in Key Biscayne, Florida, when a major hurricane traveling north across the Florida Keys suddenly changed direction and turned toward the area where the conference was to take place.
With one phone call to Send Word Now, Dee delivered voice and text messages to all 150 employees, informing them that the conference would be postponed. Dee also requested that each employee send a response back to Send Word Now, confirming their whereabouts. The employees cancelled their flight reservations and avoided the danger of being caught in the hurricane.
Town Of Belmont Selects MessageOne’s AlertFind Service For Emergency Broadcasts & Notification
Austin, TX --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- March 8, 2005 – The Local Emergency Planning Committee of Belmont, Mass. today announced it has selected MessageOne’s AlertFind service to enable town leaders to rapidly broadcast notification of critical information to its select residents in the event of an emergency situation.
The MessageOne AlertFind notification and emergency broadcast system enables the Town of Belmont to provide immediate communications to town personnel and its 24,000 residents about urgent issues, such as public health updates related to the chemical plating company located in a densely populated neighborhood. Located outside Boston, the Town of Belmont covers 4.71 square miles, adjacent to Cambridge and Watertown and Lexington Mass.
“Public safety and ensuring the timely dissemination of critical communication and information to Belmont residents -- particularly in times of crises – are top priorities for our administration,” said Leo J. Saidnawey, Director of Belmont’s Emergency Management Agency. “Belmont is proud to be a leader among communities, by taking the extra precautions to secure our emergency communications plan. We are extremely appreciative of MessageOne’s partnership and commend them for their commitment to homeland defense and public safety initiatives at the local level.”
With the MessageOne AlertFind service, the Town of Belmont can reach any individual (citizen, town employee, etc), anywhere, anytime, via text-enabled devices or voice-enabled devices -- ranging from home phones, mobile phones, pagers, wireless devices, SMS, to email accounts and more. With two-way communication, AlertFind enables the town leaders of Belmont to reach its audience and poll users to gather real-time data on their safety, status or on critical situations as they unfold.
“We see great potential for emergency notification at the local level and are proud to be working closely with the forward-thinking civic leadership in The Town of Belmont,” said MessageOne Founder Adam Dell. “Belmont is ahead of the curve by taking advantage of cutting-edge technology to make a positive and powerful difference in the quality of life and peace of mind of its residents.”
Baylor Health Care System Using 3n For Crisis Notifications
3n Mass Notification System Provides Emergency Preparedness for Far-Reaching Network of Medical Facilities
Glendale, CA --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- August 17, 2005 – 3n (National Notification Network), a leading provider of mass notification systems, announced today that the Baylor Health Care System, one of the largest private-sector employers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, is using the 3n mass notification system as its primary communications platform in the event of a crisis or disaster. The 3n system assists Baylor medical centers, led by Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, to conduct routine drills as part of the network's vital community role in the planning and preparation for crisis and disaster drills and events.
Baylor employs more than 15,000 people, including more than 3,300 physicians on its medical staff who would need to be alerted in the event of a crisis or disaster. The Baylor network includes hospitals, primary care physician centers and practices, rehabilitation clinics, senior health centers, affiliated ambulatory surgery centers and the Baylor Research Institute. In drills to prepare for crises, the 3n system allows Baylor to quickly alert key personnel so they may activate command centers, conduct conference calls between key leaders and direct emergency personnel to assigned locations in an effective and timely manner.
"Baylor relies on the 3n system to quickly reach our staff and practitioners," said Ron Kasowski, director of safety for Baylor. "The 3n system is designed to allow Baylor to contact all our employees on our disaster organization chart to ensure they can respond as efficiently as possible during emergency situations. We also use the groups feature to dispatch our public safety employees and hazardous material decontamination team as necessary during disaster events."
Using the 3n system, Baylor administrators are able to communicate with system users in any situation requiring quick and secure dissemination of information. The message is relayed via all modes of communication used by Baylor constituents, including phone, email, pager, and wireless devices such as laptops, PDAs and BlackBerries.®
Goodyear Implementing 3n Mass Notification System To Communicate Instantly With Employees
Goodyear Testing System Weekly As Part Of Emergency Communications Plan
Glendale, CA --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- February 15, 2005 - National Notification Network (3n), a provider of mass notification systems, announced today that Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), one of the world's leading tire companies, is implementing the 3n Mass Notification System to communicate instantly with its employees.
After a Goodyear administrator accesses the 3n System by online login or a phone call, the system will deliver customized communication to an entire database of uploaded contacts. Goodyear currently is testing the 3n System once a week as part of its emergency communications plan, successfully sending out trial messages to over 75 contacts in its initial database.
A 3n message can be relayed to modes of communications including phones (home, work and cell) email, pager, fax and wireless devices such as laptops, PDA's and BlackBerries. The system will keep reaching out to the contact until receipt is confirmed. 3n then generates a report that indicates “who-did-what-when,” and provides Goodyear essential compliance and legal support.
Said Cinta Putra, CEO and co-founder of 3n. “We are delighted that Goodyear has chosen the 3n System to be an integral part of their emergency communications plan.”
About Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 80 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 85,000 people worldwide.