June 15, 2005 -- NASA Stennis Space Center - NVision Solutions, a leading provider of mission-critical, GIS-based decision support systems, and FirstCall Network Inc., a leader in emergency notification services, entered into a strategic agreement to create an integrated solution for the emergency management and homeland security industries.

FirstCall Network, Inc. created the “FirstCall Interactive Network for Emergency Response” (F.I.N.E.R.) which allows officials to automatically telephone any number of citizens with multilingual emergency notifications within seconds of a crisis.  Officials can use the system through Web-based technologies or by telephoning FirstCall call center operators.  NVision developed REACT, or “Real-time Emergency Action Coordination Tool,” in partnership with St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana and the NASA Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.  REACT uses geographic databases and advanced computer models for crisis preparation, management, and recovery.
 
The agreement between the two companies will allow officials to identify people and property at risk during an emergency situation using the REACT system and then instantly notify those people using F.I.N.E.R. 

Socorro Harvey, President/CEO NVision Solutions, Inc. said, “Partnering with FirstCall enables us to provide more comprehensive services to our customers while remaining focused on our primary area of expertise.”

The integrated REACT and F.I.N.E.R. system will allow for immediate and more coordinated responses to disasters from hurricanes, floods, and tornados to bombs, plane crashes, and toxic waste releases, saving time, money, and lives. 

“It has been and continues to be our vision to provide the residents of St. Tammany Parish with the most advanced and accurate tools to improve our overall public safety profile.  With the assistance of FirstCall and NVision, we have taken a major step in that direction,” said St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis.

Both systems can be controlled through the Internet.  This enables officials to send notifications from anywhere or use the FirstCall live operators available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

“FirstCall is proud to join with NVision in this synergistic partnership.  It will join the two most advanced companies in their fields and offer a comprehensive program to Emergency Managers,” said Howard M. Dennis, President and CEO of FirstCall Network, Inc. 

"We are pleased to see these types of partnerships which continue the rich tradition of technology transfer from NASA as well as the exploration of new frontiers that fulfill the NASA mission," said John Bailey, NASA Technology Development and Transfer Office Dual-Use Program manager.