Contact Information: For further information please contact: Megan McHugh 215.238.0510 x237
Probaris Participates in Emergency Response Demonstration
| Source: Probaris, Inc.
PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwire - July 30, 2007) - Probaris, Inc. and several of its partners
participated in an operational demonstration last week coordinated by the
Department of Homeland Security National Capital Region Coordination (DHS
ONCRC) and by the Department of Defense Pentagon Force Protection Agency
(DoD PFPA). The demonstration, known as Summer Breeze, was a
multi-jurisdictional test to verify the integration and interoperability of
an identification credentialing system which includes assignment of
attributes (qualifications, authorizations, certifications, and privileges)
for first responders.
The Probaris ID solution was used to issue secure credentials to one
hundred participants in Summer Breeze that was held at the Daughters of the
American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. Probaris verified
the participants' identity documents and collected fingerprints and a
facial image before issuing them a First Responder Authentication
Credential (FRAC). The credential was then electronically validated by
relying parties using handheld readers to determine if access should be
granted through a guarded perimeter into the Summer Breeze event.
On September 11, 2001, there were serious breakdowns in communication and
coordination that stalled the response to the attacks. First responders
struggled to obtain access to the emergency sites. The FRAC card is encoded
with critical data that allows commanders at an emergency scene to
authenticate the first responder's credentials using a wireless handheld
device. Government officials are hoping to minimize the issues with
communication and coordination with the use of a FRAC identification
credential. The issuance and authentication of the FRAC identification
credential was a key component in the July 19 Summer Breeze Demonstration.
Summer Breeze was a follow-on event to Winter Storm, a multi-jurisdictional
demonstration co-hosted by DHS ONCRC and DoD PFPA in February 2007 that
tested the interoperability and usability of the credentialing system
through simulated emergency incidents at federal, state and local
facilities. Both demonstrations are part of the DHS' First Responder
Partnership Initiative that is working to provide federal, state and local
first responders with a standardized identity management process and a
common credential that will enable access to government buildings and
incident areas in the event of a terrorist attack or other all hazards
events.
"Properly trained and equipped first responders have the greatest potential
to save lives after any disaster. Ensuring that the right people can safely
and quickly obtain entrance to a disaster site is critical to the first
responder's mission. The Probaris ID Credentialing Solution verifies
responders' identities, collects their biometrics, and issues the
credential," said James Bensman, CEO of Probaris, Inc.
About Probaris
Probaris (www.probaris.com) develops and markets Probaris ID™, an
end-to-end solution for verification of employee identities for government
and commercial enterprises. The solution is used to gather employee
biometrics and other identity data for the issuance and life cycle
management of secure credentials for HSPD-12, FRAC or commercial entities.
Probaris ID bundles multiple pre-integrated GSA-approved products to
provide all elements of the credential solution.