The Fayette County School System

has taken its emergency preparedness to another level ... and local industries

are being encouraged to do the same.

A new computer program developed

and emergency personnel in the event of a crisis situation. With one simple

click, building schematics appear instantly, littered with arrows representing

digital photographs which depict, for example, a view down a particular

hallway.

The technology is viewed as

a significant tool should a hostage situation or other crisis arise at

local school buildings. It provides deputies and police officers a peek

inside the school, which can be crucial because many of them may not be

familiar with all the nooks and crannies of the building itself, said

Wayne Myers of Fayetteville, who started the company that developed the

software.

The VIPER (Visual Image Programs

for Emergency Responses) software program can highlight closets or other

partially hidden danger spots that could be hazardous locations to personnel

entering a hostile environment, Myers said. The software also includes

aerial photographs along with the floor plans and digital photos of the

building's interior views.

The technology is also seen

as a way to help emergency officials respond to situations at local industries

such as chemical spills. The floor plan that pops up on the computer screen

can show hazardous materials response crews where certain chemicals are

stored, along with fire hazards, alarms and water hook-ups.

While the software doesn't

come cheap, it is custom designed for each facility. Employees of Quick

Image Inc., which sells the VIPER software, visit on-site to record the

digital photographs that will be connected to the floor plans.

The software can also be customized

to fit the specific needs of a particular building, Myers said.

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