Newport News Fire Department Awards Contract to BIO-key for Records Management and Mobile Data Solutions

23 December 2005

BIO-key International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BKYI.OB), the leader in finger-based biometric identification and wireless public safety solutions, has been awarded a contract to implement its enterprise-class fire records management system, FireRMS, and associated interfaces at Newport News, Virginia Fire Department. With the completion of the project, Newport News Fire personnel will benefit from streamlined incident reporting, full compliance with national reporting guidelines and tight integration with their dispatch and mobile data system.
(LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050509/BIOKEYLOGO )
In addition to FireRMS, the contract includes BIO-key's PacketCluster Rescue(TM) wireless mobile data system for all fire vehicles that tightly integrates with the police department's system, providing fully interoperable communications for all first responders. The integrated system extends automated dispatching to all fire apparatus and provides silent and secure text messaging for unprecedented communications capabilities between fire and police.
"We look forward to having a fully integrated records and mobile data system," said Assistant Chief David Layman of Newport News Fire. "With BIO- key's mobile solution interfaced to our Intergraph computer-aided dispatch system, we can be assured of getting secure and accurate dispatch information to our vehicles." Layman continues, "In addition, the interface between Intergraph and FireRMS will greatly improve incident reporting efficiency and enhance both firefighter and the public's safety."
"We've had a long-standing relationship with Newport News Police and we are excited to add Fire as an interoperable extension to that system," says Anthony Barone, BIO-key's VP and General Manager for Fire. "Newport News' decision to implement both FireRMS and our wireless mobile solution will ensure that first responders have the information to do their jobs safely and more efficiently anytime, anywhere they may be."
About BIO-key
BIO-key develops and delivers advanced identification solutions and information services to law enforcement departments, public safety agencies, government and private sector customers. BIO-key's mobile wireless technology provides first responders with critical, reliable, real-time data and images from local, state and national databases. BIO-key's high-performance, scalable, cost-effective and easy-to-deploy biometric finger identification technology accurately identifies and authenticates users of wireless and enterprise data to improve security, convenience and privacy and to reduce identity theft. Over 2,500 police, fire and emergency services departments in North America use BIO-key solutions, making BIO-key the leading supplier of mobile and wireless solutions for public safety worldwide. (http://www.bio-key.com )
BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected on the basis of these statements. The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "believes" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For a more complete description of these and other risk factors that may affect the future performance of BIO-key International, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company also undertakes no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
For more information contact:
Julie Garand
508-460-4036
julie.garand@bio-key.com
(C) Copyright 2005 by BIO-key International, Inc.

Source: prnewswire