FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002

Washington State adopts statewide emergency planning and disaster response application

State law enforcement, fire associations license PRI's Rapid Responder product

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington state law enforcement and fire officials have licensed an emergency preparedness and disaster response software application from Prepared Response, Inc. that will eventually allow all emergency personnel in the state to access critical location information when responding to a crisis.

The Washington Associations of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) and the Washington State Association of Fire Chiefs (WSAFC) licensed the Rapid Responder(TM) application from Prepared Response through an allocation from the Washington state Legislature. The agreement allows the product's use throughout the entire state.

With a laptop or other computer, Rapid Responder allows emergency responders, en route and on site, to instantly access pre-determined safety plans, floor plans, staging areas, hazardous materials, collapse zones, utility shut-off locations, and photos for virtually any structure. Responders can also create incident command and control plans through a fully integrated Incident Command System (ICS), and communicate locally, regionally, or nationally in real time via a secure Internet connection. The product also allows access to a dangerous chemicals database, which includes "biologicals" that could be used in a terrorist attack. Facility data is collected by the licensee and uploaded to a network for access either through wireless Internet connection or a local hard drive.

"Information is the most important tool that law enforcement, fire fighter and medical personnel need when responding to an emergency," said WASPC Executive Director Larry Erickson. "Such things as floor plans, water sources, and hazardous materials storage locations will help us determine potential threats even before we arrive on scene."

Substitute House Bill 1838, sponsored by state Rep. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) and passed during the 2001 regular session, initially tasked WASPC and WASFC with finding a mapping system to help emergency personnel control school violence incidents. After the events of September 11, the project's scope was expanded to include disaster response capabilities for all public and private facilities.

Lovick, who spent 28 years with the Washington State Patrol before running for the Legislature, said: "I sponsored this effort because I've had firsthand experience responding to emergencies," Lovick said. "In such situations, the longer it takes to know critical facts about a crisis, the more lives might be at stake. I'm pleased WASPC has found a solution that will help protect citizens and first responders alike."

Under the agreement, Prepared Response will initially implement Rapid Responder in six of the state's most populous counties, beginning with approximately 60 schools in Snohomish County.

"We are pleased that WASPC and the Washington State Fire Chiefs Association saw the benefits of our solution," said Prepared Response President and CEO Sterling Griffin. "Rapid Responder provides quick information access that can help save lives, and just as importantly, protect first responders as they do their jobs."

About Prepared Response, Inc.

Prepared Response develops and maintains emergency preparedness applications designed to help save lives, mitigate property damage, and allow emergency response personnel to act quickly, decisively, and safely during any facility-related emergency incident. The company, headquartered in Seattle, Wash., was formed in September 2000.

The company's Rapid Responder application allows law enforcement, fire and emergency personnel to access and use mission critical information about schools, government facilities, and commercial buildings. Using a laptop (or any computer), individual responders can instantly access pre-determined safety plans for police and fire response, occupant safety and evacuation plans, floor plans, staging areas, hazardous materials information, utility shut-off locations, and photos for public and private facilities. To learn more about Prepared Response and Rapid Responder, please visit our Web site at www.preparedresponse.com.

About WASPC

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs was founded in 1963 and consists of executive and top management personnel from law enforcement agencies statewide. Membership includes sheriffs, police chiefs, the Washington State Patrol, the Washington Department of Corrections, and representatives of a number of federal agencies. WASPC is the only association of its kind in the nation combining representatives from local, state, and federal law enforcement into a single body, working toward a common goal.

WASPC's function is to provide specific materials and services to all law enforcement agencies in the state, members and non-members alike. The 1975 legislature made WASPC a legal entity designating the association as "combination of units of local government." To learn more about WASPC, visit our Web site at www.waspc.org.

About Rep. John Lovick

Rep. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) represents the 44th Legislative District encompassing southeast Snohomish County including the city of Mill Creek and parts of Everett, Bothell and Lynnwood in Washington state. Rep. Lovick is also a sergeant and 28-year veteran of the Washington State Patrol.

For more information, please contact:

Prepared Response Joleen Peterson
(253) 284-8100

Sterling Griffin (253) 468-5539
(253) 284-8100

Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Larry Erickson
(360) 586-7030

Rep. John Lovick's Office (360) 786-7892