• AEN conducts first real-storm operation
• Major Florida newspapers carry AEN streams
• State and local officials counsel Floridians through AEN
• State official: “A significant advantage we never had before”

MIAMI, Fla. – August 25, 2008 – America’s Emergency Network last week successfully streamed real-time news briefings from numerous state and local operations centers, opening its still-in-development system in urgent response to Tropical Storm Fay’s assault on Florida.

For the first time, Floridians and others had direct, easy, and full access to news updates and to preparedness and recovery advisories from Florida’s governor and other state officials. Many Floridians also had full access to crucial updates from local emergency management officials.

AEN’s Internet and satellite-based system remains in beta test mode as it is being deployed throughout Florida, and soon the nation, but it was opened as a public service during Fay’s slow and disastrous passage through the state, according to Bryan Norcross, president and chief executive officer of America’s Emergency Network.

“Emergency managers, the media and the general public now have seen, first hand and dramatically, the importance of AEN’s communications system, the void it fills and the service it provides,” Norcross said.

“Though we will remain in test mode through the hurricane season, we are growing rapidly and we stand ready to assist the emergency management community – and the people served by it – in any way we can,” Norcross said.

As the storm stretched through the entire state, AEN streamed live news conferences and briefings from Florida’s Division of Emergency Management in Tallahassee, from the Village of Islamorada and from operations centers in Broward, Brevard, Duval and Putnam counties.

Some of Florida’s largest newspapers, including The Miami Herald, The South Florida SunSentinel, the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville and the News-Press in Fort Myers, provided convenient, free public access to the streams over their websites.

Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said he found significant public-service value in AEN’s capabilities.

“This provides us with a whole different avenue to get the information out to the public,” Fugate said. “The networks might cover the governor, but not the entire briefing. This gives us an opportunity to get the whole briefing out to the public. That’s a significant advantage we never had before.”

Fay was responsible for at least 11 deaths in Florida. Its torrential rain – up to 25 inches in some places – produced disastrous flooding. And the peak of the hurricane season is just arriving.

“A lot of us are certainly suffering from Fay fatigue but we’ve got to stay focused,” Gov. Charlie Crist told Floridians during a briefing carried by AEN.

For further information, contact:

Bryan Norcross
AEN President & CEO
305-722-4800