Messaging System in Place for Metro Residents during Innauguration - Get Critical Announcements

Residents and visitors can enroll in Alert DC or Arlington Alert for timely alerts and critical announcements during Inaugural Week
PR Newswire


ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- With 2 million people expected to attend the historic swearing in of President-elect Barack Obama, 58 law enforcement agencies in the District of Columbia (DC) and surrounding jurisdictions will rely on Alert DC, an interoperable emergency text messaging system provided by Cooper Notification, to coordinate the largest security and safety operation for a presidential inauguration in the nation's history. Cooper Notification is a platform of Cooper Industries, Ltd., (NYSE: CBE).

Powered by Cooper Notification's patented Roam Secure Alert Network(TM) (RSAN(TM)), the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and their counterparts in surrounding counties and cities will be able to efficiently respond to threats by sending text messages to coordinate security and emergency efforts among the different law enforcement agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), US Secret Service, US Capitol Police, and the US Military or targeted groups such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement personnel can reply to alerts through RSAN's two-way communications system.

Alert DC was launched in 2002 to quickly mobilize first responders and key personnel. "What better way to communicate to all of the different agencies during the largest security operation than with an interoperable system that has been reliable and effective for DC HSEMA and the MPD for more than five years," said Ratna Reddi, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Cooper Notification.

To create a safer and more secure environment for the 56th Presidential Inauguration, Alert DC will also allow officials to communicate emergency information to the public via text messages during the four-day ceremony at the nation's capitol, where more than 70 inaugural events will take place from
Jan. 18 - 21.

"If you plan on joining the hundreds of thousands of people attending the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama or will just be visiting DC during this time frame, we encourage you to sign up for Alert DC or Arlington Alert," said Reddi. "Alert DC and Arlington Alert will help you prepare and respond to emergencies. Alerts aren't limited to violence and terrorism. You can also receive information on inclement weather, road closures and transportation issues."

Residents and visitors in the Washington DC area can sign up for Alert DC at
https://textalert.ema.dc.gov/register.php
or can be automatically enrolled by texting DC to 411911 from a text-enabled device.

Arlington, Va. residents and visitors can sign up for Arlington Alert at http://www.arlingtonalert.com or by texting 1801 to 411911. Those wishing to receive alerts only during the Inauguration period can do so by checking "Inaugural Alerts" on the registration page.

Cooper Notification has deployed more than 230 RSAN systems across the United States, including major metropolitan areas in Orlando, New Orleans,
Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as state agencies, colleges, airports, and hospitals. Added Reddi, "The 2009 inaugural activities represent another instance where the superior technology and innovation of RSAN will be used to streamline communication and enable safety when it matters most."

About Cooper Notification
Cooper Notification, a solution platform of The Cooper Safety Division, is comprised of several businesses with decades of experience and innovation in the development of high quality products and solutions. With the ever present need to protect, alert and inform, Cooper Notification is focused on meeting the growing demand for personnel and property safety. We are the source for notification solutions supporting Fire, Security, Hazardous area, Mass Notification, Voice evacuation and Industrial Signaling applications and operating under the powerful global brands of Fulleon, MEDC, Roam Secure, SAFEPATH, WAVES and Wheelock. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.coopernotification.com .

About Cooper Industries
Cooper Industries, Ltd. (NYSE: CBE) is a global manufacturer with 2007 revenues of $5.9 billion, approximately 87% of which are from electrical products. Founded in 1833, Cooper's sustained level of success is attributable to a constant focus on innovation, evolving business practices while maintaining the highest ethical standards, and meeting customer needs. The Company has eight operating divisions with leading market share positions and world-class products and brands including: Bussmann electrical and electronic fuses; Crouse-Hinds and CEAG explosion-proof electrical equipment; Halo and Metalux lighting fixtures; and Kyle and McGraw-Edison power systems products. With this broad range of products, Cooper is uniquely positioned for several long-term growth trends including the global infrastructure build- out, the need to improve the reliability and productivity of the electric grid, the demand for higher energy-efficient products and the need for improved electrical safety. In 2007, sixty percent of total sales were to customers in the industrial and utility end-markets and 34% of total sales were to customers outside the United States. Cooper, which has more than 31,500 employees and manufacturing facilities in 23 countries as of 2007, is incorporated in Bermuda with administrative headquarters in Houston, TX.
For more information, visit the web site at http://www.cooperindustries.com .
For information contact: Marla Moran 941.487.2300 ext. 2318 marla.moran@cooperindustries.com.