Interoperability program transmits alarm alerts directly to computer aided dispatch system saving response time; becomes a new national standard

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Richmond, Va. and Intergraph(R) are the first to automate the transmission of security alarm alerts directly to the appropriate public safety answering point's (PSAP) Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and reduce response time by at least two to three minutes, saving precious time and lives.

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Richmond's two-year pilot External Alarm Interface Exchange project, incorporating Intergraph public safety incident management and reporting solutions, eliminated approximately 6,000 telephone calls from residential and commercial security companies. This reduction means more efficient utilization of 9-1-1 call taker resources in the PSAP.

The program's success has made it an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard now recognized by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA). Each year across the United States, 9-1-1 call takers manage more than 32 million incoming calls for assistance from alarm monitoring companies.

By utilizing an XML-based approach that conforms to the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) to facilitate the electronic transmission of critical data from alarm monitoring companies to PSAPs, 9-1-1 call taker staff's time is no longer needed to manually gather and input alarm alert information. Instead, the new alarm event data is processed by the CAD system as a call-for-service that appears instantly in the radio operator's dispatch queue for assignment to first responders. This results in a savings of time and fewer errors.

"It has been a special honor for the City of Richmond to have pioneered a technology project that has resulted in a new American national standard. The new ANSI standard can be deployed easily by all CAD and central station alarm monitoring software providers on behalf of 9-1-1 PSAPs and alarm monitoring companies," said Bill Hobgood, Public Safety Team Project manager, City of Richmond, Va. Department of Information Technology. "The collaborative and cooperative success of this interoperability project will reduce telephone call volumes between 9-1-1 PSAPs and alarm monitoring companies in the millions, reduce mistakes in the processing of new alarm events, and save lives and property. I am very pleased with Intergraph's role to become the first commercial CAD provider to complete this interface that conforms 100 percent to the ANSI standard."

"APCO International applauds the City of Richmond and Intergraph for their focus on the end users and the improved dispatch and response times gained through this project," APCO International Executive Director George S. Rice, Jr. said. "This standard is highly recommended for all entities and agencies interested in implementing an automated exchange of alarm-related data in order to promote more efficient and effective public safety and data interoperability, as demonstrated in Richmond."

"Interoperability continues to be one of the most strategic imperatives in public safety," said Jeff Vining, Gartner vice president and research analyst for government, homeland security and law enforcement. "The automation of alarm alerts between the commercial and public sectors is an important new interoperability milestone."

"As the largest worldwide provider of public safety and security incident management and reporting solutions, Intergraph has a long and rich history of developing pacesetting innovations and driving industry standards," said John K. Graham, president, Intergraph Security, Government & Infrastructure. "We are pleased to have partnered with the City of Richmond's visionary team on this milestone project to expand the boundaries of public safety interoperability, save lives and become a new standard for the entire public safety industry. During these challenging economic times, this technology provides a mechanism for improving call times and efficiency, while reducing the burden on agency staff, and we look forward to making it available to our many customers."

Intergraph is the leading global provider of incident management software and reporting solutions. One in 12 people in the world is protected by Intergraph public safety and security solutions.

About Intergraph

Intergraph is the leading global provider of engineering and geospatial software that enables customers to visualize complex data. Businesses and governments in more than 60 countries rely on Intergraph's industry-specific software to organize vast amounts of data into understandable visual representations and actionable intelligence. Intergraph's software and services empower customers to build and operate more efficient plants and ships, create intelligent maps, and protect critical infrastructure and millions of people around the world.

Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine (PP&M) and Security, Government & Infrastructure (SG&I). Intergraph PP&M provides enterprise engineering software for the design, construction and operation of plants, ships and offshore facilities. Intergraph SG&I provides geospatially-powered solutions to the defense and intelligence, public safety and security, government, transportation, photogrammetry, utilities, and communications industries. For more information, visit www.intergraph.com.

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Web site: http://www.intergraph.com/