Utah Buys Additional Devices from CompassCom Inc. to Track Vehicles at Winter Games

    CENTENNIAL, Colo.--Dec. 18, 2001--A coalition of Utah public safety agencies has purchased additional automatic vehicle location (AVL) components from CompassCom Inc. of Centennial, Colo., to track the locations of emergency vehicles and shuttle buses carrying athletes during the upcoming Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
    In May, the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) and the Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC), both headquartered in the Salt Lake City area, jointly purchased the CompassTrac(TM) fleet tracking system and CompassFDE(TM) AVL server from CompassCom. This AVL system utilizes GPS satellites to track the precise locations of vehicles anywhere in the Wasatch Front Range of Utah.
    Utah has already installed the CompassCom AVL system and uses it in daily public safety activities. The latest purchase includes additional wireless CDPD modems that will be installed in extra vehicles that have been called in to provide security at the Winter Games. When installed with a GPS unit, the wireless modems transmit vehicle location in real time to central dispatch. Dispatchers see where the vehicles are located by viewing icons on a map display screen.
    "We will be extending the use of our AVL server to any public safety agency in the state," said Lt. Jim Matthies, UHP Section Commander for Technical Services.
    The CompassFDE server was selected because it is capable of tracking and differentiating multiple fleets of vehicles simultaneously over a secure wireless network. During daily operation, for example, the system enables UHP dispatchers to know precisely where each patrol car is located, allowing the dispatcher to send help in the event an officer is disabled. At the same time, the server will be tracking ambulances, fire engines and athletic event shuttle buses around the state.
    "With the growing interest in Homeland Security, we are seeing many public safety agencies turning to AVL technology to improve safety and reduce their response times during an emergency," said CompassCom President Brant Howard.
    CompassCom was established in 1994 as a product and service provider for Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) markets. CompassCom offers complete GPS and GIS solutions as a business partner with Trimble Navigation, ESRI Inc., Orbital Sciences TMS and AT&T Wireless.

    CompassCom Inc.
    6770 S. Dawson Circle, Unit 1A
    Centennial, CO 80112-4224
    Ph: 303-680-3221
    www.compasscom.com