'SensorNet' surveillance network studied
Fort Bragg, N.C., might become the model for a national network of sensors, alarms and video surveillance to help protect against terrorism.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory's SensorNet, a collection of systems for the detection, identification and assessment of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, has been installed as part of an evaluation project with the Fort Bragg Directorate of Emergency Services.
The military base, located in near Fayetteville, N.C., is home to more than 30,000 family members and contains 11 shopping centers, 28 restaurants, a major medical center, 11 churches and 183 recreational facilities.
"Fort Bragg is a city with thousands of residents, more than 20 million square feet of office buildings and all of the associated needs and demands placed on emergency services workers," said Bryan Gorman, a U.S. Department of Energy researcher.
He said SensorNet, unlike conventional public safety mass notification networks, provides plug-and-play sensors and applications invisible to the users.
After undergoing evaluation at Fort Bragg, SensorNet will be installed at various locations across the nation, officials said.
The Fort Bragg SensorNet project, funded by the Department of Defense, is scheduled to last five years.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
