DHS awards vehicle alerting technology contract

Corner Alliance, Inc., has secured a $100,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) contract award
to aid first responder driver emergency alerts on roads.

S&T is collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) Program to develop a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) integration model, enabling the dissemination of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs).

The technology is slated to achieve new capabilities that include displaying fire and emergency alert information on the infotainment screens in vehicles.

“Effective communication of emergency fire information and evacuation routes to people in an endangered area is a necessity for first responders striving to manage emergency operations and guide safe public response actions,” DHS S&T Program Manager Norman Speicher said. “Connecting emergency management tools to situations in WUIs will help emergency management officials achieve better routes and procedures by utilizing cutting-edge technologies that help define, share and manage the status, and communicate evacuation routes and safety zones in real-time.”

FEMA IPAWS Division Director Antwane Johnson said the IPAWS Program seeks to find new methods and paths to communicate emergency information to people that enable emergency managers to reduce the loss of life, personal injury and property damage of disasters.

“The WUI integration model will develop connected platforms capable of delivering lifesaving evacuation notifications and digital alerts from emergency officials to drivers on the road during emergencies,” he said.