Press Release
PacketHop Joins Forces with First Responders for Homeland Security Exercise
PacketHop's Aware Communications Suite is Deployed in a Simulated Terrorist Attack
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - April 20, 2006 - PacketHop, Inc., the leader in next-generation mobile mesh communications software and real-time multimedia applications, today announced that it's joining forces with federal, state and local first responder agencies to provide the mobile broadband communications system for a full-scale Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated live exercise will take place in Long Beach, Calif., at the Long Beach Airport on Saturday, April 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Some of the participating agencies in the exercise include the Long Beach Airport Bureau; Long Beach Police, Fire, Public Works and Technology Services Departments; FAA; Federal Bureau of Investigation; National Transportation Safety Board; Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and EMS; U.S. Army, Ninth Civil Support Team; and the American Red Cross.
"With more than 28 participating agencies and 400 first responders and volunteers, this will be one of the largest Homeland Security training exercises ever conducted - and we're very proud to be a part of it," said Michael Howse, president and chief executive officer of PacketHop.
The purpose of the exercise is to review emergency operations and communications plans and evaluate airport and emergency service organizations' capabilities in responding to a simulated terrorist attack. Coordinating multiple agencies at the scene of a major incident is difficult because agencies rely on proprietary voice communications systems that often do not interoperate with other agencies' communications systems.
To ensure that participating first responders are provided with the most reliable, effective, and interoperable communications, organizers will deploy PacketHop's Aware™ Communication Suite - a fully-integrated suite of mobile mesh-enabled multimedia communications software.
The suite uniquely enables secure peer-to-peer wireless broadband communications - known as mobile mesh - via software loaded onto standards-based mobile devices. Its server-less applications, which include real-time multicast video, GPS-enabled resource location tracking, white boarding and multimedia instant messaging, provide users with a more effective means to communicate. PacketHop is the only company providing peer-to-peer mobile mesh communications software with server-less multimedia applications purpose-built to operate in an infrastructure-optional environment.
If you'd like more information regarding the exercise, or are interested in attending, please contact PacketHop at (650) 762-2869.
About PacketHop
PacketHop, Inc. develops software that creates instantaneous and self-configuring mobile mesh communications for public safety agencies, commercial enterprises and consumer markets. PacketHop's Aware Communications Suite is software that uniquely enables standards-based devices like laptops, tablet PCs and smartphones to create portable networks that can securely operate with or without access points. By making infrastructure completely optional, PacketHop delivers coverage wherever and whenever instant communications are needed - with unequaled resiliency, reliability and robustness. PacketHop's suite of distributed and server less applications enable rapid and cost-effective wireless communications and include real-time multicast video, resource tracking, multimedia instant messaging and white boarding. Founded in 2003 and based in Silicon Valley, Calif., PacketHop is funded by venture firms U.S. Venture Partners, Mayfield, ComVentures and GF Equity Partners, as well as SRI International. For more information, please visit www.packethop.com.
PacketHop and Aware are trademarks of PacketHop, Inc. The names of other companies and their products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.