Critical Situation Management, Inc. Leader Says, 'The New Security Landscape Requires Fast and Intelligent Decisions,' Declaring a Preparedness 'Wake Up Call' to All Industries.

Business Editors

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 2003

In reaction to President Bush's recent urge for a national "wake up call" to prevent further electrical grid catastrophes, such as the August 14 disaster, John Kaiser, CEO of Critical Situation Management (CSM) stated today that, "The recent event should also be a lesson for security, emergency, health and professionals, as well as corporate leaders throughout the nation."

"Most corporations and public organizations have well-thought through critical situation procedures and processes in place. However, the problem is that many systems are not easily accessible to first responders and crisis team members, on a common platform. In fact, the new security landscape requires fast and intelligent decisions - this cannot be accomplished with most currently used emergency response systems," adds Kaiser.

"The recent blackout should alert all corporate leaders, in all industries, to update their response solutions now. The nation can not afford to wait for another crisis to expose our inadequate communication and consequence management systems," states Kaiser.

"Too many companies and public organizations are relying on the false hope that their current emergency response practices will carry them through critical situations. In fact, the response to the 9/11 tragedy, heightened terrorist attacks throughout the world, and the acknowledged vulnerability of America's corporate assets, clearly indicates that a 'business as usual' attitude is no longer acceptable in dealing with hostile and non-hostile critical incidents," Kaiser adds.

"As the blackout has proven," Kaiser adds, "a single catastrophic incident can cause billions of dollars in economic loss. In New York alone, it's estimated that the August 14 power failure cost $1.6 billion. Even incremental improvements in the way emergencies are handled can save lives, as well as millions of dollars in prevented property damage and business disruption."

"Although current Federal legislation is mandating certain industries, such as chemical, refinery and pharmaceutical companies, to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop emergency preparedness plans, I encourage all industries to do so - especially our nation's infrastructure providers such as energy, water and telecommunication companies, as well as local organizations including school systems, shopping malls, large office complexes, local governments and transportation hubs - the list is long," says Kaiser.

"In addition, I urge these venues to not only revise their emergencies response capabilities, but get responders on a common communication platform and practice their plans. For example, it was through technology and preparedness that the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania facility, which operates the Mid-Atlantic electrical grid, was able to recognize and halt the effects of the crippling power outage which devastated millions of homes and businesses around the Northeast and upper Midwest in less than nine minutes."

"Many businesses are still using 'paper-based' procedures stored in three ring binders that sit on shelves and rarely get used during critical incidents. Therefore, organizations tend to rely too heavily on key security professionals who respond to emergencies based on years of experience and practice - not readily available, standardized procedures. To a large degree, technology is the answer. Implementation of an automated rapid response system based on pre-established Emergency Action Procedures (EAP's) that are instantly available to all emergency responders is the next evolution of emergency response management. They will not only minimize overall risks in times of crises, but will improve business continuity. Emergencies are too large, complex and deadly to continue to rely on checklists and paper manuals during an emergency."

"The development of an effective, flexible and interactive response capability is smart business: savings in the form of reduced liability exposure, fewer costs associated with regulatory enforcement actions, and more efficient operational compliance to emergencies clearly outweighs the capital and operational costs of improving emergency response management systems."

Critical Situation Management, Inc. (CSM), located in Philadelphia, markets emergency response management software and services. The software, 4command(TM), addresses the issue of what to do when an emergency happens in large and complex situations. 4command(TM) utilizes 'expert system' technology that delivers multi-tiered, rapid Emergency Action Procedures (EAP's) to first responders, crisis team members and corporate decision makers faced with responding to critical situations.

The software provides a common platform that supports enterprise-wide communications during an emergency as well as complete GIS visualization, tracking and documentation of the incident. The products are currently installed and used for emergency response management at leading chemical companies, including Rohm & Haas, DuPont, Dow Chemical and Shell.