CALGARY, Alberta, May 14, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Carmina Technologies Inc. (OTCBB:CARL), a company providing a software-based performance monitoring and reporting system, announces the launch of Assur-Health & Safety (H&S) in response to the current outbreak of West Nile Virus.
The Assur-Health & Safety program is specifically designed to monitor hazard indicators and safety risks and is particularly suited for use by local governments in monitoring vector-borne diseases like West Nile. It is currently being implemented by the Hastings - Prince Edward Counties Health Unit, mandated by the Ontario government to acquire, assemble and analyze information required by local officials to control the mosquito-borne virus. The program is being conducted in counties where a proliferation of standing water from last winter's heavy snow accumulation and indigenous wetlands make for ideal mosquito breeding ground.
"This program for the West Nile Virus will provide the kind of urgent intervention and direction needed by local governments as they fight this life-threatening disease. Resources to combat vector-borne diseases are limited in some government agencies, so a system that provides economical, immediate and accurate auditing of their programs is critical to managing those resources and providing long-term success," stated John Alston, Carmina's President and CEO. "Terrorism, bio-terrorism and the natural occurrence of infectious diseases such as SARS and the West Nile-Virus are some of the reasons that responsibility and even liability are driving the demand for better solutions. At present, we still see West Nile as being the broadest and the most real threat to a community."
"The public needs to know they are safe and municipalities need credible, documented evidence that they are providing the highest possible level of protection," Mr. Alston further stated.
According to the National Pesticide Information Center, in 2002, West Nile Virus claimed 274 lives in North America and disrupted millions more through sickness, added prevention costs, restrictions on recreation and loss of business. Estimates are even higher for 2003. "It is safe to say that every public agency which enforces regulations related to the health and safety of its citizens could use Assur-H&S to develop an efficient, consistent and accurate level of monitoring," according to Alston. "At the same time, our platform compiles precise historical data and a record of inspection performance by every person in the chain of protection. This also means that pesticides, which offend many people, are used only when absolutely no other remedy exists."
Flexible Platform Equals Broader Applications
Assur-H&S has applications beyond monitoring for West Nile Virus. With this product, public health and safety officials will also have the flexibility to input varied and multiple protocols, depending on the task to be performed. While the focus during the spring and summer in North America is on monitoring mosquito breeding sites, broader applications for Assur-H&S include the monitoring of public water supply inspections, the inspection of Food Service businesses, Eldercare facilities and other disciplines subject to health codes. Assur-H&S is the third product in the Assur family launched by Carmina since the beginning of 2003. Previous introductions were for Assur-FQP and PestAssur.
The Assur family of products brings an easy-to-use, established technology to industries and processes that still rely largely on manual data collection and management.
The Assur technology platform consists of readily available hand-held mobile computers and a multi-level bar-code system linked to centralized servers via a variety of wired and wireless technologies. The hand held units enable inspectors or monitoring agents to observe and record multiple findings at each inspection point, automatically recording the time and duration of each inspection and if required, GPS location. By gathering data digitally at the point of inspection, information can be accessed readily on centralized servers from any location in the world that has Internet Access, making available real-time reporting and analytics.
About Carmina Technologies
Carmina Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:CARL) has developed and markets the Assur Family of products. These easy-to-use tools assure consistent, standards-driven monitoring of and reporting by mobile work forces. Currently, Carmina Technologies services the Pest Control and Food Safety & Health industries. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Company has offices in Toronto and Vancouver.
For media and press inquiries, please contact Barrie Richardson (brichardson@apm-services.com) at 416-410-6114, ext. 412, or Jim Maloney (jim@gregoryfca.com) at 610-642-8253.
For analyst and investor inquiries, please contact John Alston (john@carminatech.com) at 800-793-8370, ext. 1, or Mary Borneman (mary@gregoryfca.com) at 610-642-8253.
Safe Harbor/Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer
This announcement contains "forward-looking statements." Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and other similar expressions as they relate to the Company and its management are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although the Company and its management believe that the statements contained in this announcement are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such statements will prove correct. Factors that could affect the occurrence of events or results discussed herein are included with those mentioned in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.