TAMPA BAY, Fla., Mar 18, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Pinellas County, Florida, Now Using Autodesk GIS Software-Based Application for Law Enforcement and Emergency Response

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced that its GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology is being used in Web Enforcer and FloorView, two homeland security applications helping law enforcement officials and emergency response teams to plan for and react to threats and emergencies.

Autodesk's homeland security strategy centers on providing flexible software to help governments, utilities, and telecommunications firms assess infrastructure capabilities and security to implement design changes and better respond to emergencies. Autodesk's GIS software can be used either out of the box, customized by customers, or as a development platform for third parties with domain expertise. Other homeland security efforts from Autodesk include solutions that help wireless operators leverage location-based services to address personal security issues for their subscribers.

Responding to the events of September 11, governments, utilities, and telecommunications firms began assessing the capabilities and security of vital infrastructure services such as electricity, natural gas, water, transportation, and emergency response. New threats have made it clear that fast access to infrastructure data over the Internet, an intranet, or via a mobile device is critical. The applications that supply this data need to be customizable, reliable, and quickly developed and deployed and be able to draw on and visualize a variety of interrelated data including demographics, floor plans, location of physical assets, evacuation routes, hazardous material threats, and weather.

Autodesk's powerful mapping and distribution technology meets these requirements. Its open, flexible architecture means organizations can rapidly develop highly customized solutions that draw on a variety of engineering, design, and other important data, and can deliver it anywhere it needs to be, anytime. The software supports a wide variety of file formats, including DWG, providing data accuracy across the entire workflow. Autodesk's GIS solutions can scale from a few local users to thousands when used with an Oracle9i Database and is capable of helping address four key areas of homeland security:

    --  Assessment -- Identify and evaluate potential vulnerabilities
        in the existing infrastructure
    --  Remediation -- Implement design changes to reduce
        vulnerabilities
    --  Monitoring -- Monitor infrastructure around-the-clock to
        quickly identify and fix problems
    --  Emergency Response -- Respond quickly and effectively to
        emergencies to help save lives and minimize damage

Although public safety and homeland security have only recently moved to the forefront of national priorities, Autodesk's GIS, mapping, and data distribution software has been contributing to public safety for many years. Pinellas County, has implemented Web Enforcer, a web application developed by Focus Corporation and based on Autodesk MapGuide software. This application has been helping the county enforce a state statute barring convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, day-care centers, parks, or anyplace where children congregate. Together, Autodesk and Focus have created a Web Enforcer solution that is commercially available and easily customized for other organizations.

"Protecting public safety is one of the most vital functions of government," said James Dates, Director of Justice Coordination for Pinellas County. "When we needed an application to assist in our law enforcement, we turned to Autodesk for its proven track record with performance, reliability, and flexibility in digital design software. Now that Web Enforcer is widely available, organizations in all levels of government can use its power and flexibility to address their specific public safety needs."

"Each law enforcement and emergency response organization faces its own set of challenges, but one need is common to all -- getting the right data into the right hands at the right time," said Larry Diamond, vice president, GIS Solutions Division at Autodesk. "Autodesk's GIS solutions are ideally suited to solving these issues because they can be customized for each unique situation to deliver vital information over the Internet, an intranet, extranet, or to a mobile device."

The two applications built by third parties using Autodesk's GIS technology are

-- Web Enforcer (developed by Focus Corporation, built on Autodesk MapGuide): Using this application, law enforcement personnel can view, analyze, and distribute information related to crimes and crime trends over a secure intranet. Automated procedures help free valuable law enforcement resources for crime prevention services. For more information, visit www.focus.ca.

-- FloorView (developed by FloorView, LLC, built on Autodesk MapGuide and Autodesk Architectural Desktop): With this application, emergency and law enforcement personnel can get accurate floor plans, hazardous materials information, and other important data while on the scene, helping them develop emergency tactical plans. To view this application, go to www.floorview.com.

"Autodesk's data creation, editing, management and visualization capabilities provide powerful tools for law enforcement and emergency personnel to work with a variety of crucial data," said Steve Perkins, senior vice president, Oracle Public Sector and Oracle Homeland Security Solutions. "By combining these capabilities with the power of Oracle(R) database technology, organizations have a potent solution for helping to protect and maintain critical infrastructure and effectively react to threats and emergencies."

Availability

Web Enforcer and FloorView are available now in the United States. For purchase information, contact Autodesk at kevin.faus@autodesk.com or any of the vendors mentioned above.

About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain leverage digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Note to Editors: Autodesk and Autodesk MapGuide are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Autodesk, Inc. Eric Sutphin, 415/507-6658 eric.sutphin@autodesk.com URL: http://www.businesswire.com Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page.

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