Washington, D.C. - August 6, 2002 - The National Weather Service (NWS) and AWS Convergence Technologies, Inc. (AWS) today unveiled a major new public-private partnership that will bolster the government's ability to respond to a homeland security event and protect lives and property.

If a homeland security incident or disaster takes place, the NWS will now pull in real-time weather data from the AWS WeatherNet network to provide very precise forecast models that government agencies, the military and emergency managers can use to make critical decisions. The AWS WeatherNet network, established in 1993, is a highly dense, nationwide commercial weather network that includes more than 6,000 automated weather station locations based primarily at schools.

The partnership announced today will particularly aid response in major metropolitan areas, where AWS has a high concentration of weather monitoring stations in its WeatherNet network. In a homeland security event, such as a bio-terrorist or chemical attack, the National Weather Service will now be prepared to more quickly and more precisely assess local weather conditions, such as surface wind speeds and temperatures, which could spread airborne hazardous materials and affect nearby communities.

"AWS stepped up to the plate in response to the President's call for American companies to support Homeland Security," said Jack Kelly, Director of the National Weather Service. "This agreement is a great example of the public-private partnerships so vital to our mission of providing data on an immediate basis for critical decisions and forecasts that help protect lives and property. We are working together to save lives," he added.

Weather information has long played a pivotal role in the government's ability to respond to major disasters. After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the NWS installed a mobile weather station near Ground Zero that provided rescue workers with more precise wind forecast models that helped them to predict the direction smoke would spread and adjust their response accordingly. AWS has more than forty weather stations in the area, the closest of which is just a half mile from the site. In this case, the AWS weather stations would have significantly accelerated the government's ability to respond.

Bob Marshall, CEO of AWS Convergence Technologies, said, "We are pleased to be working closely with the National Weather Service on this important initiative. The unique value and quality of highly localized, up-to-the-second weather information provided by the AWS WeatherNet network is critical for Homeland Security and emergency response applications. This effort is one in which schools and broadcasters who are members of the AWS WeatherNet network can be proud to be involved and support."

Currently more than 100 local TV stations integrate local weather data from the AWS network into their forecast reports. In addition, AWS currently uses NWS data along with that obtained through their own weather sensor network to distribute NWS forecasts and storm/weather warnings to nearly 12 million users through its free, Internet-based desktop software application, WeatherBug, www.weatherbug.com.

About AWS Convergence Technologies, Inc.

http://www.AWS.com

About the NOAA National Weather Service

http://www.nws.noaa.gov