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NEWS 2006

[03/14/2006]

Rockford Housing Authority Deploys Firetide Video Surveillance Mesh Network

Wireless video surveillance for public housing enhances safety and reduces criminal activity.

LOS GATOS, Calif. -- March 14, 2006 -- Firetide, Inc., a leading developer of wireless mesh networks reported that a recent mesh installation has resulted in a rapid decrease in criminal activity at a public housing project in Rockford, Illinois. The mesh network operated by the Rockford Housing Authority connects outdoor video surveillance cameras wirelessly to a central location for live monitoring and recording of the video feeds.

The video cameras and mesh nodes are housed in custom-built, bulletproof enclosures designed and built by Montel Technologies. "We added the Rockford Police Department logo and flashing police lights as an extra deterrent," said Ray Montelongo, President of Montel Technologies. "So far they have been extremely effective. These units are extremely rugged and the quality of the video feeds is excellent."

"By partnering with Montel and Firetide, we were able to deliver a technology-based solution to reduce crime and disorder in public housing," said Lewis Jordan, executive director of the Rockford Housing Authority. "Immediately after the cameras were installed, crime and loitering diminished immensely, and both our residents and employees are feeling safer. Equally as important, the installation of the cameras has helped to improve the perception of public housing especially to prospective residents. Knowing that these cameras are up and monitored, those who live in and around public housing can better understand the business impact a safe environment has on a community. Furthermore, the installation of the cameras has assisted our local police department as well as our property managers in being proactive in addressing potential problems."

The Rockford mesh network includes 16 outdoor enclosures with mesh nodes and IP video cameras plus five indoor mesh nodes for video monitoring and for relaying mesh network traffic. Four police cars are also equipped with mobile Firetide mesh nodes so police officers can view live video from their cars while on patrol.

"This project demonstrates how effective mesh networks are for public safety, especially when outdoor video surveillance is required over a large area," said Firetide CEO Bo Larsson. "Our mesh networks form themselves automatically without wires, eliminating the high cost and installation time associated with deploying video and network cabling. This enables better and more affordable video surveillance systems to become operational in a fraction of the time compared to a conventional installation."

Encouraged by its initial success, the city is planning to eventually use the same mesh network to deliver broadband Internet access to Rockford Housing Authority residents. "Because the wireless infrastructure is already in place, it will be easy and affordable to narrow the 'Digital Divide' for our citizens and to use technology as an educational tool to help public housing residents move closer to self-sufficiency," Jordan said.

About Firetide, Inc.

Firetide is a privately held wireless mesh technology company that develops networking equipment to deploy high performance, scalable wireless mesh networks quickly, easily and affordably. Firetide's Instant Networking solution is ideal for building backbone infrastructure for Wi-Fi networks, Internet access HotZones, video surveillance, and temporary networks in a variety of environments such as, airports, hotels, campus environments or other locations where wiring is too difficult or expensive to install. For more information, visit www.firetide.com.

About Montel Technologies

Montel Technologies, LLC is a minority certified and operated firm providing expert networking, security, installation and project management services for a wide range of fiber, wired, and wireless networks and communications systems. Located in Rockford, Illinois, the company has become a key player in providing IT services to the private and public sectors across the United States. For more information, visit www.monteltech.com.

About Rockford Housing Authority

The Rockford Housing Authority provides assistance for citizens of Rockford, Illinois through a variety of programs established by Congress and funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These programs include assistance for low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities. It also provides a variety of housing opportunities, including multi-family developments, high-rise towers and scattered site homes. The Rockford Housing Authority's low-income public housing program includes 2100 public housing units along with 1800 section 8 voucher holders making the RHA the third largest public housing authorities in the State of Illinois. For more information visit www.rockfordha.org.

Contacts:

Mike Downes
Firetide, Inc.
mdownes@firetide.com
808-387-2181

Danielle Siemon
Edelman for Firetide
danielle.siemon@edelman.com
650-429-2739

Ray Montelongo
Montel Technologies, Inc.
ray@montel-technologies.com
815-966-1267

Lewis Jordan
Rockford Housing Authority
ljordan@rockfordha.org
815-987-3842