Knowledge Center Goes Live for NASCAR Pocono 500 Race

  • Jun 09, 2009

Knowledge Center™—a daily use incident and event management software application—went live in Pennsylvania's Northeast Counter-Terrorism Task Force (NE-CTTF) in May.

The Task Force will showcase Knowledge Center™ June 6-7 at one of their annual significant events—the NASCAR Pocono 500 Race. Knowledge Center™ enables the Task Force to generate a real-time "common operating picture" and integrate resources at the local, county, state, and federal levels through a "virtual collaborative environment." Whether it's managing large national events like the NASCAR race or low impact incidents like hazmat spills, Knowledge Center™ enables the Task Force to meet their daily emergency management goals and requirements.

The Northeast Region includes 8 counties in eastern Pennsylvania covering 4,200 square miles, a population of 900,000 people, and 227 local municipalities including the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Scranton. Guy Miller, Chair, NE-CTTF: "Not being an Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) region may limit our financial resources, but it does not limit our emergency management needs. We host two big NASCAR races every year in Pocono that require tremendous coordination. We have significant cities and industrial centers throughout our Region. We looked at all the tools in the marketplace and have no doubt that we made the right decision with the SSI team and Knowledge Center™ for our emergency planning, response, and recovery efforts."

Knowledge Center™ enables the Task Force to manage incidents using the industry-standard Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS). In addition, Knowledge Center™ provides tools to better track critical infrastructure / key resource (CI/KR) data and then effectively share that information throughout the emergency management community. Because Knowledge Center™ is built using a COTS-based interoperable, open-standards technology, SSI can seamlessly integrate other existing regional investments in systems and data into a single consolidated environment.

John Degory, Director, SSI Knowledge Center, Inc., said, "Whether it's the FEMA Disaster Operations Directorate at the National level, the Philadelphia UASI, or now the Northeast Counter-Terrorism Task Force at a Regional level, we consider each customer a key partner no matter the size or scope. We are looking forward to supporting the NE-CTTF this summer at the NASCAR Races in Pocono and the U.S. Women's Golf Open in Bethlehem, as well as any future significant events over the next five years."

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.