Wide Area Rapid Notification News

SWCG’S DEAL WITH W.A.R.N. TO CREATE JOBS, SAVE LIVES

(Software Computer Group, Inc., Charleston, WV)  A computer company based in Charleston, West Virginia recently inked a national contract that will not only help save lives across the country, but also create jobs in West Virginia.  Software Computer Group, Inc. (SWCG) was selected as the national customer support center for an emergency notification system known as Wide Area Rapid Notification, or W.A.R.N.

W.A.R.N., a product of W.A.R.N., LLC, a technology and communications company based in Tennessee, is a homeland security system that uses Internet technology for the simultaneous, rapid, and coordinated notification of catastrophic events.  Whenever a significant emergency exists — such as biological or chemical attack or a hostage situation — W.A.R.N. can be used to notify national, state, and local agencies and even the public.  W.A.R.N. can contact thousands of households, businesses, and first responders simultaneously, notifying them in minutes using mobile and land telephones, Internet messaging, pagers, faxes, palm pilots, and e-mail.

SWCG, a firm that has provided IT support services and consulting in West Virginia since the mid-1970’s, has represented W.A.R.N. in West Virginia since 2001.  Mason County uses the system as part of their 911 and Office of Emergency Services to quickly alert citizens and emergency personnel by telephone when crisis situations arise.  Likewise, the Metro Emergency Operations Center of Kanawha County recently adopted the W.A.R.N. system for public and emergency notification to better protect its 195,000 citizens.  Further, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Threat Preparedness has adopted W.A.R.N. for automated notification to health preparedness response teams and public health partners throughout West Virginia.

The new deal between SWCG and W.A.R.N. establishes SWCG as a national customer support site for the emergency response system and will allow SWCG to add new employees.  “We are expanding,” said Butch Evans, President of SWCG.  “We don’t know by how much yet, but based on W.A.R.N.’s growth last year and their future forecast it could be big.  It may be five jobs, it may be fifty, it may be a lot more.  We’re still trying to manage growth based on W.A.R.N.’s increasing customer base.”

SWCG currently serves many of West Virginia’s circuit and magistrate courts, providing software, hardware, and helpdesk support to those customers.  It also offers remote backup services to businesses and organizations to protect vital company information and data on a nightly basis.  SWCG is working with other West Virginia companies, such as TMC Technologies, Inc., based in Fairmont, to create additional opportunities in the state.