AUGUSTA, Ga. – For many of the estimated two million people gathered in Washington D.C. to witness President Barack Obama’s inauguration, the biggest challenge was to stay warm and get a clear view of the proceedings. In emergency operations centers (EOCs) and command centers throughout the National Capital Region, the biggest challenge was how federal, state and local partners would maintain a common operating picture throughout the inauguration. That challenge was successfully met through WebEOC® and ESiWebFUSION™, two software products from ESi®, the global leader in emergency information management solutions. Among its many uses on this historic day, WebEOC provided the ability to share real-time information and coordinate the deployment of police, military and medical personnel along with other resources during the inauguration. ESiWebFUSION served as the central communications hub and enabled individual WebEOC customers to communicate securely with each other. Vital information that was shared via WebEOC among dozens of agencies included crowd control (dispatching U.S. Park Service officers, Metropolitan Police and National Guard), medical response (ambulances, medics, first aid, warming stations and hospital transports), traffic control (the closing and opening of roads and bridges), air traffic control over the “no fly” zone, reports of suspicious packages and fire response. “Achieving shared awareness is a primary function of WebEOC,” said Nadia Butler, ESi president and chief executive officer. “As I watched events unfold from our operations center in Augusta, Georgia, I saw shared awareness become a reality for WebEOC users from so many diverse agencies.” At times during the inauguration and in the days leading up to it, the District of Columbia Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency had over 300 WebEOC users logged in. “Knowing that WebEOC was the primary tool for sharing information among all the agencies put a lot of pressure on us in the pre-event phase,” said Kent Cawley, ESi regional manager. “However, my experience in the DC EOC during the actual event was much different than I expected. Everyone was relatively calm, as most of the users already knew how to use WebEOC or only needed a small amount of coaching from their peers. The simple configuration of WebEOC made new user training extremely easy.” In addition,15 WebEOC customers in the District of Columbia and neighboring states used ESiWebFUSION as a communications hub to share data and maintain a common operating picture. “The combination of WebEOC and ESiWebFUSION provided the same type of situational awareness that was so effective last year in Texas during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike,” said Kevin Price, ESi’s Business Systems lead developer. “Our congratulations go out to the many emergency managers and first responders who used WebEOC to manage one of the largest crowds in U.S. history,” said Ms. Butler. “The inauguration was a success because of the extraordinary efforts of these people and the months of planning they put into the event. We’re proud that our technology solutions helped them to do their jobs.” About ESi Augusta, Georgia-based ESi®, the global leader in crisis information management solutions, pioneered the market with WebEOC®, the world’s first Web-enabled emergency management communications system.  Recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2007 and 2008, ESi connects crisis response teams and decision makers at national, state and local agencies, healthcare providers, airlines and corporations worldwide, providing access to real-time information for a common operating picture during a crisis or daily operations. By offering a solutions package from initial design and installation through training, implementation and maintenance, ESi sets the standard for crisis information management. For more information, please visit www.esi911.com. For more information, contact: Anne Murray Sims ESi Phone: 706-823-0911 Email: asims@esi911.com                                       

Norm Viksna ESi Phone: 706-262-2516 Email: nviksna@esi911.com