DENVER, Sept. 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Multicard, a leading supplier of credential solutions, identity management and system integration services and a business unit of Identive Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:INVE) (Frankfurt:INV), announced today it is implementing an identity management and incident command system for the North Central All-Hazards Region (NCR) of Colorado that will help emergency management personnel coordinate and document their response to incidents within the framework of federal standards. Based on the Colorado First Responder Access Card (CoFRAC) credential, the solution allows the region to validate the identity of and track personnel responding to an incident, manage resources at the site, and produce incident report documentation needed for state and federal reimbursement following an event.
As the largest of nine emergency preparedness and response regions in the state, the NCR is responsible for over 50% of Colorado's population and is comprised of a wide variety and diverse type of jurisdictions including mountainous, urban and rural communities that encompass ten counties, including Denver and Boulder. The goal of the NCR CoFRAC program is to create a standard procedure for responder identification and incident management throughout the region. A key requirement for the program was that Multicard's solution must comply with federal Homeland Security Presidential Directive HSPD-12, which standardizes the validation process of responder credentials, and HSPD-5, which defines processes for management of an incident. For emergency management situations, the use of an identity credential that is interoperable across local, state and federal agencies ensures that first responders showing up at an incident such as an earthquake, fire or flood can be quickly and accurately identified, assigned to appropriate tasks and tracked as to their hours and activities.
Under the identity management component of Multicard's solution, a rugged, handheld card reader is used to validate the CoFRAC and other government-issued credentials of federal, state, and local emergency response officials showing up at an incident. Under HSPD-12, the credentials of first responders must be verified under Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201. To accomplish this, Multicard's handheld device compares the information stored on the CoFRAC and other FIPS 201-based cards against the Colorado Certificate Revocation List (CRL), which confirms that the card certificates are still valid. Upon validation, the first responder is asked to enter a pin number, and subsequently a fingerprint for comparison with the stored template on the card. If all three match, the responder is granted access to the secured incident site.
HSPD-5 mandates a single, comprehensive system for the management of domestic incidents using Incident Command Standards (ICS) and National Incident Management Standards (NIMS). Multicard's solution includes an incident management software application that creates an organization structure as credentials are scanned, which allows emergency response coordinators to track people, resources, trucks and equipment at an incident site. Incident Commanders also can use the application to view each first responder's NIMS qualifications to make better decisions regarding the deployment of resources on site. As an incident progresses in complexity, Incident Commanders can consolidate data in the incident command software and send it to a web-based application for remote viewing at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Multicard's solution also provides agencies access to incident data for real-time or post-incident analysis. In addition to providing critical information to improve future emergency response, the incident command software aids in producing documentation of resource usage for state and federal reimbursement. Chain-of-custody documents for incident victims can also be accessed through the reporting functions.
Matt McDaniel, Vice President for Multicard, states, "For the CoFRAC program, Multicard's incident command solution seamlessly blends credential management, accountability and reporting into one system. The NCR is the first region to deploy an integrated system of this scope and we will be supporting them as they work with other regions to make the solution interoperable state-wide. Because the Multicard solution is designed around common on-site incident command applications and standard operating procedures, it can scale to virtually any size."
Currently, there are six (6) pilot agencies assigned equipment within the NCR under available federal grants. The agencies include: North Washington Fire Department, Denver Sheriff, Boulder County (inclusive of all Police, Fire, EMS, and Rescue agencies), Douglas County Sheriff, Glendale Police Department, and Commerce City Police Department. These agencies are interoperable with agencies throughout the state and nation that have adopted the HSPD-12 and -5 guidelines for incident management.
For additional information on the NCR and CoFRAC projects please contact:
Alan Colon
North Central Region / Denver UASI Credentialing Project Manager
acolon@c3gov.com
+1 303-289-3630
About Multicard
Multicard, a business unit of Identive Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:INVE) (Frankfurt:INV), is a worldwide supplier of card solutions for secure identification programs, with in-house capabilities for credential issuance, personalization and fulfillment for the consumer, government, education, healthcare, smart community and corporate markets. Multicard offers a complete open payment platform, ID systems management and engineering services as well as full implementation and program management. Multicard also is a provider of enrollment, emergency management and accreditation solutions using government or corporate IDs. For additional information, visit www.multicard.com.
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Identive Group, Inc. is a leading provider of products, services and solutions for the security, identification and RFID industries. For more information, please visit www.identive-group.com.
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