SEATTLE, WA October 28, 2009 - To help Amateur Radio Operators around the world enhance their emergency planning and response with interactive mapping and simulation technology, Depiction, Inc. announced today an ongoing series of webinars in cooperation with David Friedman, KE7GOY.

 

The announcement comes after the resounding success of similar webinars attended by hundreds of radio operators across the United States on October 21 and 24. Hosted by Friedman, an emergency services volunteer and Amateur Radio Operator, and Depiction's Kim Buike, a Red Cross volunteer and former Navy Captain, these webinars showed how Depiction’s new mapping and simulation software help Amateur Radio Operators easily:

This ongoing webinar series is in response to the demand from amateur radio operators who are looking for the latest technological edge. “I am impressed and excited regarding the capability of the Depiction software as presented on your webinar," wrote one attendee after the webinar. "It might be one of the most powerful usable tools to come down the pike so far.” Another wrote, "I must say thank you for making the webinar interesting enough for me to participate both days, and [I] expect to review them from your archive again. Each time I take away more valuable information."

 

The webinar series will consist of two alternating one-hour webinars every Thursday, one providing an overview  of how Depiction can be used in emergency communications, and the other focusing on specific ways Amateur Radio Operators can use the software to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their community. The first of these webinars will be held Thursday, October 29 at 2:00 PM EDT, 11:00 AM PDT. A complete calendar can be found at http://www.depiction.com/webinars/amateur-radio

 

In addition, Depiction, Inc. staff will also offer custom regional webinars to interested Amateur Radio groups; for example, helping a club conduct a virtual disaster drill for their community with their local data.

 

David Friedman, KE7GOY, is a Disaster Response Director for Muttshack Animal Rescue and an American Red Cross Government Liason, as well a Depiction technical consultant who has put the software to work in response multiple disasters across the country. A retired Radiologist/Emergency Medicine/Health Physicist, Friedman joined the American Red Cross and Amateur Radio during Hurricane Katrina and has been involved in emergency management for 35 years. “When I first used the beta version of Depiction to help rescue 15,000 pets during Hurricane Gustav, I knew that I had something special,” Friedman said. “I’m excited to help other Amateur Radio Operators get the same use out of the software.”

 

Capt. Kim Buike served 27 years in the Navy, commanding a destroyer in the Persian Gulf and the Navy's most modern shore facility, Naval Station Everett before retiring in 2003. Captain Buike is also a Red Cross volunteer and serves in the local County Emergency Operations Center as a Red Cross Liaison during community disasters. As Depiction Inc.’s Customer Engagement Director, he has been instrumental in the development of Depiction.

 

Depiction allows everyday users to combine data and images both from online sources and their own computer, creating dynamic, interactive maps and simulations. These "depictions" can be saved, stored emailed and used--even offline. The Depiction APRS Add-on brings live APRS data into depictions over the Internet, and Depiction, Inc. is working with Amateur Radio Operators and a third-party developer to create an add-on that will allow Depiction to gather and send data through their radio. Visit the Depiction website today to purchase Depiction and the APRS add-on, to check out example scenarios for applications such as sharing situational awareness, or to develop your own scenarios.